Deraign – Purity In Violence – EP Review

Source // f1.bcbits.com

Some years ago, Thrash Metal began a rather successful resurgence and bounced back into the consciousness of the Metal community. Bands like Havok and Warbringer – to name just two – brought back the bombastic drumming, razor-sharp riffs and shouted vocals leading to some naming this new strain of Thrash, Neo-Thrash. This movement also prompted the classic Thrash bands such as Testament, Exodus, Death Angel, Overkill  and Anthrax to issue forth some of the best material of their respective careers; the all-conquering Dark Roots Of Earth by the aforementioned Testament being a prime example  Conversely, while this comeback was well received by purists, there were some that did not necessarily welcome this resurrection; perhaps fearing that Thrash Metal’s glory days was in the 80’s and should stay there.

Fortunately, Australia’s Deraign have not listened to these naysayers, bringing to the masses the band’s  first EP Purity In Violence. The title itself harks back to the glory days of Thrash, when the subject of violence was on many a Thrash vocalist’s lips. The cover art also evokes the spirit of the classic Thrash albums of old but one question remains. Does the music evoke nostalgia for Metal-heads and Thrashers? We’re pleased to say the answer is a resounding yes!

The opening track, “Broken Trust”, is Thrash purity, boasting a dual guitar attack that could come from any Slayer album while a prominent Testament influence is evident on “Shellshocked (PTSD)” before going on to pay homage to early Exodus. Interestingly, the majority of the songs on “Purity In Violence” bear a striking resemblance to Atrophy – a lesser known Thrash band from the late eighties – but there’s still more than enough ‘Slayerisms’, ‘Testamentalities’ and ‘Exodusian influences’ to keep the average Thrasher happy; the opening riff of “All Is Lost” particularly bearing an obvious similarity to Testament’s “The New Order”.

While those who truly love their Thrash will feel pretty damn nostalgic when listening to Purity In Violence‘s 5 songs, another question arises. Where do Deraign fit into the ongoing Thrash revival? The answer is simple. They don’t. Instead, Purity Of Violence offers the listener a state of metatemporal respite. It’s as if the greatest year of Thrash – 1986 – never ended and Deraign have delivered much more than just a tribute to one of the greatest developments in metal, hopefully sustaining the re-awakened genre for a very long time in the process. 8/10