1. Forsaken Survival
2. Frozen Aggressor
3. Green Goblin
4. One For The Woods
5. Dripping Flesh
6. By the Reaping Hook
7. Rotten By Torture
8. Demolition
9. The Final Massacre
Comment:
CD re-issue with original artwork for the very first time of the cult debut album from ‘87 by this legendary Thrash Metal band from Canada. A true gem for any lover of intense yet catchy Thrash Metal in the vein of bands like MORBID SAINT, DARK ANGEL, ARMOROS...
Well, this is a timeless classic, a piece of history in the Canadian extreme Metal scene that reaches 30 years! AGGRESSION is one of those short-lived Canadian acts from their awesome 80s scene. They released just one album in the 80s and disappeared from the map shortly after. I don’t know why but the same thing happened with acts like MESSIAH FORCE, WIKKA (just one EP), DYOXEN, INFERNÄL MÄJESTY, SLAUGHTER, SOLAR EAGLE (just one EP), SACRED BLADE, etc. What we have here is really fast, dirty, raw and aggressive old school Thrash Metal mixed with some early Death Metal and Hardcore elements plus some technical resources from time to time. The album opens with ‘Forsaken Survival’, a fast track charged with some simple guitar riffs and the aggressive Hardcore-ish and distinct vocals of Pierre Fleurant. ‘Frozen Aggressor’ continues in the same way as the previous track. Fast, chaotic and technical guitars from time to time, but the performance in the vocals department is closer to early Death Metal than Hardcore and Thrash. ‘Green Goblin’ opens with some kind of spooky hysterical scream. This is one of the heaviest songs here, faster than the two previous ones. Straight forward and uncompromising intense guitars and crushing drums. ‘One For The Woods’, the fourth track, is pure DARK ANGEL worship from the very first riffs to the vocal style. It sounds like Ron Rinehart on the classic “Leave Scars” (yes, I know, this album was released before the aforementioned US legend). Well, the development of the song offers some really interesting passages with some cool arpeggios on guitars and extraordinary bass lines. ‘Dripping Flesh’ is another good example of thrashing madness here. ‘By The Reaping Hook’, the sixth track, opens with vicious riffs that remind me of another classic Canadian act: SLAUGHTER. This song offers here some awesome brutal proto Death Metal stuff. This classic album close with the 8 minutes long opus titled ‘The Final Massacre’, a track that delivers a slightly different general sound and production, and even in structure and composition. It is not so fast and brutal as the previous stuff. In fact, it is closer to the so-called progressive Thrash, with a lot of variations, and even some clean guitars. Just close to the end we have some fast stuff again. A perfect track that gives you some idea of what was to come on another production that, as you may know, was never released because AGGRESSION disbanded in 1989. If you are into acts like DARK ANGEL, SLAUGHTER, SACRIFICE, RAZOR, DISSECTION (CAN) or SOOTHSAYER, this is for you. One more thing, I’m pretty sure it is possible to find the first press on vinyl (still sealed), that was released by Banzai back in 1987, in some record shops in Toronto (!). Support the band, who coincidentally is celebrating 30 years of their “The Full Treatment” touring across Canada.
Régulièrement, Xtreem Music a des petites initiatives bien sympathiques qu’il convient de saluer.
Ressortir du grenier le premier album des Canadiens d’Aggression, groupe de thrash metal hélas trop occulté à l’époque par leurs monstrueux compatriotes d’Exciter ou de Razor, en fait partie.
Il faut dire que la vie du groupe est pour le moins chaotique : actif entre 1985 et 1989, période pendant laquelle trois demos et ce « The full Treatment » verront le jour, avant de splitter pour se reformer en 2005 pour une année après qu’une sorte de compilation bâtarde est sortie en 2004 (« Forgotten Skeletton »).
C’est en 2014 que Denis « Sasquatch » Barthe décide de recruter des musiciens pour remonter Aggression une bonne fois pour toutes. S’ensuivra une compilation (« Fractured Psyche Demons ») en 2015 puis « Fragmented Spirit Devils »paru en novembre dernier.
Histoire d’appâter le client potentiel, « The full Treatment » se voit remasterisé pour l’occasion et de se rappeler qu’en 1987, bon nombre de groupes restés dans l’ombre méritait le coup d’oreille.
Pour le coup, on ne va pas affirmer qu’Aggression révolutionne un genre déjà presque usé jusqu’à la moelle à l’époque : le thrash metal des canadiens est une sorte de bourrinage parfois à la limite de l’audible dont le maître mot est d’aller le plus vite possible, quitte à confondre par moments vitesse et précipitation.
Les quelques pains, fautes de justesse dans le chant ou autres erreurs de batterie confèrent un côté « urgence » qui confine à la naïveté post-pubère d’un groupe qui voulait essayer de tenter de se montrer le plus brutal possible avec une technique minime.
C’est certes mignon et rafraîchissant de voir une musique aussi kitsch et permettra à de nombreux thrashers nostalgiques de se secouer la crinière sur cette déflagration pas si pourrie que ça, mais il faut reconnaître aussi que cet album est très loin d’être celui du siècle.
Des riffs speed sur une section rythmique épileptique, un chant façon Ventor dans « Pleasure to kill » et « Endless Pain », un côté punk pas détestable, peu de soli, une intensité affolante et un côté brouillon font de cet album un cru dans la moyenne mais « The full Treatment » est à prendre tel qu’il est : un témoignage d’un thrash metal cru, d’un groupe en pleins balbutiements, qui aurait pu avoir un avenir sympa s’il avait perduré.
A l’instar d’un Viking et du brouillon « Do or die » qui a su grandir et prendre de la maturité pour nous balancer un terrible « Man of Straw » par la suite, Aggression aurait pu (dû) persévérer et nous prouver qu’ils étaient largement perfectibles et qu’ils étaient loin de plafonner.
Le potentiel était là, mais mal exploité.
A défaut de nous sortir un album génial et/ou culte, ils nous ont offert un album kitsch au possible dans des sentiers plus que battus.
Gageons que leur deuxième véritable album à paraître sera d’un autre tonneau : entre temps, Sasquatch a eu le temps de s’aguerrir avec Cradle to Grave et le line up actuel d’Aggression est bourré de musiciens expérimentés, avec des membres qui font ou qui ont fait leurs armes chez des groupes comme Infernäl Mäjesty, Expain, Entropia, Tyrants Blood ou Tyrannicide…
Peruvian Thrash/Death Metallers MAZE OF TERROR have just inked a deal with Xtreem Music for the release of their second album which is currently being written for a recording sometime in 2019. As an...
Russian Brutal Death act OSSUARY ANEX have just inked a deal with Xtreem Music for the immediate release of their new EP "Holy Blasphemition" that will see the light next 26th of September, as well as...
GRISLY is the new band coming out from the restless mind of swedish Deathmaster Rogga Johansson. The band has just recorded their debut album "The Spectral Wars" which caught the attention from Xtreem...
British Death Metal band RAVENS CREED have completed their 4th album entitled "Get Killed or Try Dying" which is going to be released through Xtreem Music next 2nd of August..
Spanish pathological Death/Grinders NASTY SURGEONS, have launched a video-clip as 2nd advance single for their upcoming sophomore release "Infectious Stench" that will see the light on 5th of July...
Spanish Death/Grinders NASTY SURGEONS have revealted cover artwork (again by Juanjo Castellano), tracklist and 1st single from their sophomore release "Infectious Stench" that will be released next...
Swedish Death Metal veterans RIBSPREADER, have just revaled cover artwork, tracklist and 1st single of their 7th album "The Van Murders - Part 2" to be released next 6th of June through Xtreem...
Finnish Death Metal band CARNIFEX, not the horrible trendy US Deathcore outfit, is going to see all their demo recordings from '91 to '93 officially re-issued on CD through Xtreem Music. under the...
Brazilian one-man Black/Thrash band GOAT WORSHIP, is ready to unleash their 2nd full length album "Shore of the Dead" next month of April through Xtreem Music.
Legendary Deathmetallers from Florida KILLING ADDICTION are about to see their classic debut album "Omega Factor" re-issued next 9th of March through Xtreem Music. It was also in March 9th, but from...
