RAZOR
Cycle of Contempt
Relapse Records
If you think about Hard Rock & Heavy Metal from North America, I don't think people realize how many amazing bands came from our neighbors from The Great White North as Bob & Doug McKenzie would say. From the 70's you had legends like RUSH, TRIUMPH, APRIL WINE, BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE, MOXY, FRANK MARINO & MAHOGANY RUSH and WARPIG. Then came the 80's and a whole new breed of Canuck Metal was unleashed, like VOIVOD, SACRIFICE, INFERNAL MAJESTY, EXCITER, ANVIL, ANNIHILATOR and from Ontario, the mighty RAZOR.
RAZOR formed in 1983, and with the release of their first album, Armed And Dangerous of which only 1200 copies were pressed in July of 1984, that put RAZOR on the map. When you think that SLAYER's Show No Mercy came out in December of 1983 and METALLICA's Kill 'Em All came out in July of 1983 then you realize that RAZOR was on the forefront of the burgeoning Thrash Metal movement. Like a well oiled machine, RAZOR released an astonishing 7 albums between 1985 and 1991 before calling it a day. They came back in 1997 with Decibels but health issues with mainman and guitarist Dave Carlo (oral cancer, which he had 20% of his tongue removed in 2012 to Bell's Palsy & shingles in 2017) kept him down but not out. Then of course that bastard covid which shutdown the world in 2020 further delayed the resurrection of RAZOR. But finally in 2022 comes the long overdue return and the album, Cycle of Contempt.
Joining Dave on this new slab of molten metal is band co-founder and bassist Mike Campagnolo, who has been a proud member every step of the way with Dave, and only the 2nd vocalist the band has ever had, Bob Reid. Bashing the skins on this album is Rider Johnson. A special bonus is original drummer Mike 'M-Bro' Embro on backing vocals. And if you think that age and health issues have somehow slowed down the RAZOR juggernaut then you my friend couldn't be more wrong.
The very loud sounds of feedback and the crowd chant of RAZOR! welcomes you to the fray and the blitzkrieg opener "Flames Of Hatred". Dave's unrelenting riffs and Bob singing of the human race's ultimate demise lets you know in no uncertain terms that you're about to get your ass kicked with extreme Thrash prejudice. If you worshipped the chainsaw guitar tone on 1988's album Violent Restitution then you shall worship this as well! Possibly the best sounding RAZOR album to date, this album pulls no punches production-wise. "Jabroni" , "Off My Meds", " A Bitter Pill" all pummel with precision speed & power. "Crossed" starts with an unreal speed riff and features Canadian superstars Danko Jones and Rob Urbanati from SACRIFICE sharing lead vocals making this an star-studded blinder of a track. "First Rate Hate" slows things down a bit to show that RAZOR is not just a one trick Thrash pony. The title track starts as a crusher that builds with a immense grinding riff before the Thrash brutality begins. "Punch Your Face In" and "All Fist Fighting" will no doubt leave a trail of bodies in the pit Live, and "Setup", "Darkness Falls" and album closer "King Shit" continue the face melting with unbridled aural violence. 12 songs in under 45 minutes. And lyrics that should appeal to all the pent up anger and frustration in all of us.
This is what Thrash Metal should be. Not for posing. Not for politically correct pussies. Rage, anger, blasting drum beats, and speed riffing madness! RAZOR has brought to us a pissed off album for a pissed off world. But also an enjoyable album that is the catharsis to let us vent through the power of music instead of upon each other. And that in itself is the best medicine of all. All hail RAZOR!!
And for the Vinyl aficionados knowing Relapse Records as I do there will be Vinyl, and probably some sick color variants to boot. Buy or pose forever.
4.7 Out Of 5.0 Skulls
