Lesson In Violence is a thrash metal band from Germany formed in 2019, taking their name from a song by one of the greatest thrash metal bands of all time, Exodus. And the song ‘A Lesson In Violence’, for anyone who doesn’t know, appears on the band’s 1985 debut album ‘Bonded By Blood’, which is highly regarded as one of the thrash metals most influential albums.
‘The Thrashfall Of Mankind’ is the debut album by Lesson In Violence…
…released in 2022, featuring eleven songs over a blistering forty minutes! Yes – just forty minutes! The band is aggressive, brutal, and ferocious – everything you’ve come to expect from German thrash. The album explodes into life with the ferocious ‘Lost In Yourself’, very quickly into its stride, and storming ahead at high velocity. The gruff and aggressive vocals are more than a match for the avalanche of thrash cascading out o’ the speakers.
Such a frantic opening, Lesson In Violence set their stall out very early. Picking up the pace, the band launches a furious tirade of melodic come aggressive thrash, courtesy of the pulsating ‘C.H.A.O.S.’. Combining the best elements of thrash and traditional heavy metal, ‘C.H.A.O.S.’ is appealing to a wide array of fans, and with its chant style chorus will surely go down a storm live.
I guess ‘Thrash Metal Mankind’ is considered the title song – an extremely fast and aggression-laden thunderstorm of high-velocity thrash. The worldwide mosh pits are gonna go fucking mental at this one, heads are just a blur as they rock back and forth at break-neck speed. Lesson In Violence is delivering a neck muscle workout to test even the most proficient of headbangers! Without pausing for breath, ‘The Thrashfall Of Mankind’ powers on with ‘Inside’, cutting and thrusting its way on with a higher than average level of savagery. And the savagery doesn’t relent either, this time ‘Dissembling Wings’ taking over the baton, proceeding to slam, bam, and wham listeners with a barrage of brutality that’ll surely end up with hospitalization! I hope your health insurance is up to date!
The breathless pace doesn’t look like going away either – ‘Liar’ is a high-speed thrasher with a traditional metal feel sewn in. Lesson In Violence are baring their teeth and showing the rest of the world how to deliver savagely aggressive thrash at a phenomenal pace to bang the head of every metalhead everywhere – and I mean everywhere! No one is safe! ‘Social Madness’ – at just two minutes and twenty-three seconds in length, is the shortest song on offer – and is just a blur as it hurtles by at a tremendous pace. Mosh pits everywhere are gonna go into overdrive in a futile attempt to keep up with the band’s sizzling speed. And blimey is there no respite from the relentless barrage!
The band maintains top gear with the raucous and rampant ‘Rigid And Stubborn’. Thrash metal has a new level of savagery and is a worthy extension to the Teutonic Four’s legacy.
And at over five minutes in length, ‘Scum Of Society’ is the only song on offer to achieve that milestone – retaining the aggression and ferocity of the album so far. The longer length means nothing to the band, their energy and stamina are at an all-time high. ‘Scum Of Society’ marauding around the thrash metal genre like it fucking owns the place – and I for one don’t doubt it does! And the pace, power, and intensity all remain at insanely high levels, the album careering inevitably toward the final two songs. The first of which, ‘Time To Kill’, is a fiery barrage of thrash to keep the mosh pits in a state of complete euphoria. And with the final song just around the corner, this has been one hell of an album – the pace, the intensity, and the aggression, all at supremely high levels. Lesson In Violence ends their debut with the self-titled song ‘Lesson In Violence’ – a thrash metal anthem! The band describes their style of thrash as aggressive, fast, and brutal – and that they love it! And so do I… This has been one helluva ride, and one I wanna ride again and again.
Overall, a blistering forty minutes of ferocious thrash metal, full of aggression and savagery.
TRACKLIST
Lost In Yourself
C.H.A.O.S.
Thrash Metal Mankind
Inside
Dissembling Wings
Liar
Social Madness
Rigid And Stubborn
Scum Of Society
Time To Kill
Lesson In Violence
Lesson In Violence: Facebook
Release Year: 2022
Label: Iron Shield Records
Category: Album
Country: Germany
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire, and Metal-Roos.
