Metal Underground.com

“Violentus Musicae” is the debut EP of Chicago, Illinois hardcore thrashers Riotous Indignation. Fans of angry hardcore with a catchy groove will be able to sink their teeth into this release. Guitar-wise, the album takes their brand of hardcore into even more extreme territories through heavy distortion. While the guitar tones are very coarse in texture, the distortion actually takes away from some of the audibility of the riffs. Vocally, Mike Repel (who also provides guitar and bass on the album) has an edgy attitude and tones similar to crossover legend Billy Milano (M.O.D./S.O.D.) and a deeper Tom Araya.

The lyrics and Repel’s vocalizations are some of the more striking aspects of the album. He seems pissed about the way the world is today and lays out plenty of examples of how humanity is being used by the global elite. Some my find the lyrics to be of the tin-foil-hat variety, but his words were created through various sources providing the evidence that this is, indeed, the world we live in.

Whether these ideas speak to the listener or not, his rhyme schemes and phrasing are quite memorable. “The End,” “Secret Societies,” and “This World” all deal with the idea that humanity is on a crash course with disaster. “This World” (premiered on Metalunderground.com) deals specifically with the topic of the end times. “Secret Societies” delves into that very topic and lays out the tenants of the New World Order. “This Scene” is the only track not of the socio-political variety. Instead, this song is a traditional hardcore chant-along.

“The End” brings in the album with rhythms rife for a pit and also has tortured screams that stand out. “This World” begins with a frightening, nightmarish intro of the world burning and chaos all around done to the tune of a narrator explaining how the powers that be have broken down society and enslaved humanity. A cool bass line sets the stage for the song’s memorable groove.

“Secret Societies” is an eight-minute number showing the band at its finest, including some best riffs and rhymes during the chorus lines. “Our Scene Our Way” is a good sing along track for hardcore scene unity and is musically fine. While the topic adds some variety to the album, it’s still a bit cliche lyrically.

“Violentus Musicae” is fairly solid from in it’s rhymes and rhythms. The subject matter will certainly find appeal to those who research conspiratorial/subversive literature. The guitars could use just a little less distortion to make the notes stand out more. The album is short, sweet, groovy and catchy. Let’s see what future, meatier albums have to offer.