Album Review: Extinction A.D. – Culture of Violence (Unique Leader Records)

Culture of Violence is the new album from US metal legends Extinction A.D. The album follows the EP Chaos, Collusion, Carnage & Propaganda, Extinction A.D.’s first release on Unique Leader, and the first new music from the band since 2018’s full-length Decimation Treaty. Culture of Violence will be released on March 18th, 2022 via Unique Leader Records.

On the new record, Extinction A.D. comment:

Culture Of Violence is the album we’ve been in the process of creating since 2015. This is the record where we can firmly say with confidence, ‘This is what XAD is all about!” The recording and releasing process has always been behind our songwriting by a few years, so the previous material was outdated to us before we even went in to record it. On this album, we moulded ideas for years as well as the fact that we never stopped writing, so everything is fresh and capturing us in this moment. Musically, lyrically, thematically and visually, this record is a heavy experience and a savage interpretation of what we’ve all witnessed and experienced over the past few years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko-VnaXE01g

Extinction A.D. don’t just come racing out of the blocks on Culture of Violence. They explode, destroying everything around them before turning around and setting the remnants on fire with a flamethrower. A flamethrower that burns with the heat of thrash, groove and the hue of hardcore metal.

It’s a furious start with the title track, Extinction A.D. taking us back to the stompy days of the 90s. A blazing showcase of intensely heavy metal with groove undertones. The neck-muscles will already be aching thanks to the bout of head-banging this start induces.

Shake it off, there’s a hell of a lot more to come and it’s fast and so very damn heavy.

Spitting up blood, mucus and teeth, Dominion is smash-mouth slice of brutality that also features one of the album’s wildest guitar solos. Thirteen is stompy gold that is surprisingly catchy thanks to a vocal change up in the chorus. Mastic is a durable injection of varied tempos but still sees Extinction A.D. focus on discharging fire and ferocity. The halfway point of the album then reached with the no-nonsense thrash throwback that is 1992.

It is well worth noting though that Extinction A.D. aren’t living in the past and Culture of Violence is not an album removed from time. This high level of in-your-face thrashy groove is timeless and while it may not be as prevalent now as it was then, Extinction A.D. are flying the flag.

Hell, it’s going to take a grim attitude to not want to lose your shit to the hardcore-infused thrash heaviness of Heads Will Roll. Or the lyrically impactful and sharpness of Behind the Times and Star Spangled Banner. Let it not be forgotten that Extinction A.D. aren’t angry for anger’s sake. They have shit to say, and this is the expression of their feelings.

Such an intense album really shouldn’t be too long and happily, Extinction A.D. keep it nice and tight. Praise the Fraud and National Disaster seeing things out in meaty metal style. The former, showcasing some more of the hardcore infusions while being unmistakably thrashy. The latter, the perfect closer as it’s Extinction A.D. delivering one of the most head-banging inducing tracks on the entire album.

Extinction A.D. – Culture of Violence Full Track Listing:

1. Culture of Violence
2. Dominion
3. Thirteen
4. Mastic
5. 1992
6. Heads Will Roll
7. Behind the Times
8. Star Spangled Banner
9. Praise the Fraud
10. National Disaster

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