Oh man, this record rocks my nuts.
Death Angel is one of the bands from what may be described as the second or third wave of thrash. They were just young sprouts when they recorded their 1987 debut, one of the sickest thrash jams to ever be fapped out. The Ultra-Violence certainly lives up to its hardcore name.
First off, the drummer was 15. Suck it.
Second of all, Mark can sing. He can do a gruff thrash voice AND a slightly less high-pitched Belladonna-ish voice. Take your pick, and suck it.
Every song is good. Thrashers, the opener, is an anthem for the ages, and really thrashes hard. The riff is reminiscent of Kill 'Em All-era Metallica, but perhaps even cooler. Evil Priest and Voracious Souls are among the best thrash has to offer, all combining mind-***ingly heavy riffs with melody and power, making Death Angel quite a treat. And the title track, a ten minute instrumental, may be the only awesome instrumental in rock history that an 8th grader participated in. It's like Stairway To Heaven in the way that it builds up and then orgasms with its thrash power right all over my new sheets.
So in the end, Death Angel's debut is one of the best albums of 1987, especially considering that these guys were as old as Hanson at the time of recording, and infinitely more heavy. Highly recommended for anyone who likes thrash and likes little boys playing it.
