So there are a slew of new young 80s throwback thrash bands in the recent ten years… Evil Invaders, Municipal Waste, Warbringer, Bonded By Blood, Hatchet, Game Over, Dust Bolt, Bio-Cancer, etc, etc. Much of the music is really good, all learned from the Big 4 + three (Exodus, Overkill, Testament), balancing between speed, force, tempo changes, and dynamics. Yet, like their peers, Ultra-Violence also suffer from the same problem, the voice. The Italian’s third album, “Operation Misdirection” has the chops, but a singer who sounds like everyone else.

Immediately from the opener ‘Cadaver Decomposition island’ I draw two parallels to Havok, not only in the flat-lining speed and delivery but the bass tone. Great mid tempo punch to second track ‘Welcome To The Freakshow’, and those big gang backing vocals help the impact of the lyrics. The solo section also has some nice reflective notations. ‘My Fragmented Self’ builds, has a romp to the beat, and again, more nice solo work with tempo changes. The clean guitar outro must be where they get the Death Angel influence (and band name?), throwing things off for variety. ‘Acrobat’ has a Children of Bodom feel in arrangement and vocal attitude. ‘Nomophobia’ is like a hybrid of Metallica’s ‘Battery’/’Damage Inc..’ They also do a thrashed up cover of ‘Money For Nothing’ by Dire Straits. Some orchestration and more a black metal guitar lead begins ‘The Stain On My Soul Remains’ instrumental which really serves no purpose prior to “Shining Perpetuity”.
Again, another band with potential, but lacking identity and direction. With the exception of Matt Drake from Evile, I am still waiting to hear the next Hetfield, or Belladonna that sings, or a Mustaine (Megadeth), Bobby Blitz from Overkill with a unique personality to the voice.