ALBUM REVIEW: Rest In Violence – Bonded

With a collective portfolio including current and former members of KREATOR, SODOM, ANGEL DUST, SUICIDAL ANGELS and ASSASSIN, BONDED has the prestige to punch right to the top of the already-incredible German thrash scene. Formed as a collaboration between Bernd Kost and Markus Freiwald following their exit from SODOM, BONDED quickly signed with Century Media Records, completing their line-up and are set to prove themselves to the international thrash scene with their debut album Rest in Violence. But does their first offering live up to the potential?

The short answer is, unfortunately, no. BONDED start things reasonably well with Godgiven, but right from the offset show the pattern that runs through Rest in Violence – there are hints of strength, but rarely do the quintet show themselves as a band operating at 100%. There is a sense of urgency immediately with Godgiven, but a lack of hooks and dynamics leaves the opening track falling slightly flat. This trend continues with video singles Suit Murderer and Je Suis Charlie. Rest In Violence’s title track, featuring OVERKILL’s Bobby Blitz and former KREATOR bassist Christian Giesler is certainly high octane, the solo work is dazzling, and Blitz gives one of his best vocal performances in years – but again, a lack of memorability leaves what should have been one of the highlight moments on the record failing to reach its full potential. 

As BONDED come into the second half of their debut album, things do start to pick up. The Rattle & The Snake is a clear highlight moment, blending the vicious speed and some of the ear-worm riffing Rest in Violence has been missing thus far; No Cure For Life has an eerie melody and groove to it that helps the track stand out amid the blur of high-tempo thrashing; and Where Silence Reverberates sees BONDED ease off the relentless thrashing to bring a more grandiose, epic tone to proceedings – a move that works fantastically well. Unfortunately BONDED return to the solid-but-not-exceptional stylings of Rest in Violence’s first half with Galaxy M87 offering another ominous intro before reverting to the simple thrash assault, and Arrival’s failure to make any real impression. Closing track The Outer Rim brings acoustic guitars into play, wonderfully creating an unsettled atmosphere while Ingo Bajonczak’s clean vocals offer a welcome change of pace – sadly, this experimentation comes too late in the record, and The Outer Rim is just one of several moments of brilliance amid the mediocrity. 

Coming as the latest Teutonic Thrash outfit to get attention from the spotlight of the heavy metal world, and with a lineup completed by veterans of the German thrash scene, BONDED had the potential to explode into the top tier of the genre with Rest in Violence. Unfortunately, their debut doesn’t quite live up to expectations. Though never poorly executed Rest in Violence rarely punches with the strength that it should, often striking as a solid thrash offering but little more, and failing to match both the legendary Teutonic Thrash output of the 80s and the new blood springing up in recent years. 

Rating: 6/10

Rest in Violence is out now via Century Media Records. 

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