Violence Blasphemy S****y

Sure to rile self-righteous prudes everywhere, Deathwitch's none-too-subtle Violence, Blasphemy, S****y is the sort of sonic middle-finger that makes any wizened old metalhead smile with mischievous glee and pine for the olden days. Which is just as well, given the Swedish outfit specializes in retro-fitted thrash with early death and black metal trimmings, thumbing their noses at current production standards preferred by neo-thrash bands such as Arch Enemy or the Haunted to serve up a barbed-wire dessert platter that's impossible to stop chomping, even as it mangles your insides on the way down! Case in point: standouts cuts like "Flamethrower Carnival," "Total Morbid," and "Death Maniac," which mingle utmost simplicity with unapologetic (and almost unremitting) aggression, their insane thrashings and tormented rasps even recalling old-school Sarcofago for their wonderful crudeness. Not to be outdone, additional rough nuggets like "Blood Sucking F**k," "Bitchfinger," and the self-explanatory "F**k off and Die" are worth a barrel of laughs. And any time heavy metal can muster a little humor is, of course, a welcome occasion. Admittedly, such loyalty to the spirit of straightforward structures leads to a few repetitive songs along the way, but occasional and discreet detours such as the moody instrumental interlude "Lord of Ymodos" and the brilliantly named and doom-leaning "Coffin Fornicator," never quite let the ship run aground. Instead, Violence, Blasphemy, S****y wastes not a second of the listener's time during its 14 songs and 40 minutes, leaving only the wish to go right back to the front and start head-banging all over again.