I'm sure everyone is familiar with 'filler' kind of bands, the ones that stick to a tried-and-tested formula of a particular sub-genre and nothing more. If you're a big fan of that genre, you will have your favourites, probably the big-name bands from that style. Then you will probably have lots of little bands you listen to every so often, just to hear more of the same. Violator are one of these 'filler' bands for Thrash Metal. Let's set this straight, these guys are not original by any means. What are they, then? Heavy. As. F**k!

Each song on this six track EP is traditional Thrash in every sense of the word. Not resoundingly fast like Slayer, not particularly technical like Megadeth, but comfortably similar to every other band that combines rapid fire and 'chug chug' Thrash riffing in each and every song. No feeble acoustic intros or mosh breakdowns, no pretentions of any kind. Just honest heavy riffing with rip-roaring solos and non-stop headbanging.

I did notice that the singer reminds me a lot of the guy from Death Angel, and you've got Vio-Lence style gang backing vocals that everyone loves. You even get some pretty catchy shoutalong choruses, like on “The Plague Never Dies”. The vocalist also gives us the best moment on the entire EP. Like the "uh!" on Iron Maiden's “Innocent Exile” or the giggling pumpkins on Helloween's “Future World” - when he belts out "THRASH!!!" as the second song “Thrash Maniacs” gets underway you instantly fall in love with these guys. Those are the kind of moments that just make an album.

It's generic, yes. But if you're a comfortable fan of a certain style, and your 'generic' is done very well, what's the problem? Give these guys some credit, at least they don't stink!

Standout Tracks:  Thrash Maniacs, The Plague Never Dies, Shadow Of Death.

Overall Score:   7 /10