Atrophy - Violent by Nature (1990)

Quite a few years ago I picked up this second and last album from Tucson, Arizona, USA based thrash metal band, Atrophy. I don’t remember why, but for some reason I have the album on cassette tape format, which probably means someone told me about the band and I found it at a second hand shop. Anyway, though after not playing this tape for a long time I’ve realized that I’ve had one solid thrash album sitting around for a long time now.

By the early 90’s thrash metal and somewhat metal in general was a dying breed thanks to the emerging grunge and alternative rock thing that was so huge during those years, but fortunately before all that went down, ‘Violent By Nature’ was released in 1990. Loaded with partly technical sounding riffs and solos, memorable chorus’, great song structures, plenty of headbanging energy and aggressive lead vocals (plus those great backing gang-like shouts that were so popular among thrash bands); Atrophy put out one impressive little piece of thrash metal with this one. It’s also worth noting that this album was released on Roadrunner Records (Yeah, there were days when this label did release good music).

Anyhow, it would seem Atrophy draws a lot of influence from their comrades in the Bay Area, namely Exodus, but I also pick up a little bit of influence from bands like Anthrax & Kreator too, but that may just be me. What I think I really like about this album is that from start to finish it’s brimming with energy and violence, which really just forces me to bang my goddamn head a lot while listening to this baby. I also love those backing vocal gang shouts I mentioned earlier, which pretty much force me to pump my fists and shout along with them while I listen. Great stuff! You’ve also got to love that artwork, which is both fairly cool, but also just a bit disturbing and creepy too.

At any rate, I feel a bit silly for not listening to this tape in so long since it’s quite enjoyable and perhaps even a hidden thrash metal gem. The album was re-released a few years ago with some bonus songs from their demo, and if you should come across it I’d have to highly suggest picking it up.