«Brain Damage» is the second album by Vendetta, released in 1988 through Noise Records. The band from Schweinfurt, Germany belonged to the second wave of German thrash, next to acts such as Exumer and Paradox, and with this record it showed its more mature side.
“`Country: Germany
Style: Thrash Metal
For fans of: Exumer, Paradox, Sodom
The sound is technical thrash with plenty of tempo changes. The guitars weave sharp riffs and melodies, bass and drums keep a tight groove, and the vocals sound like a chant over a storming rhythm.
«War» opens the album, while the title track «Brain Damage», «Precious Existence», «Conversation» and «Never Die» stand out. The record moves fast and leaves no room to relax.
«Brain Damage» belongs to that category of albums that went relatively unnoticed when they came out but gained a reputation in thrash circles over the years. Vendetta brought technique and melody to a genre many were playing monotonously back then.
The album was recorded in a period when German thrash was producing many strong names, such as Kreator, Sodom and Destruction, and Vendetta stood beside them without copying them. Their lyrics deal with everyday topics, such as corruption, violence and death, giving the album a more serious tone than many others of the time.
The record remains one of the most appreciated of German thrash and Vendetta keep it high in their set. The tracks fit together and the album asks to be heard in full, from start to finish. More on the Wikipedia page on Vendetta.
See also
The old school thrash albums that laid the foundations of the genre · Slayer mark 40 years of «Reign In Blood».
