UMUR
"Torture Tactics" is an EP release by US, California based thrash metal act Vio-Lence. The EP was released through Megaforce Records/Caroline Records in 1991 and bridges the gap between the band´s second and third full-length studio albums "Oppressing the Masses (1990)" and "Nothing to Gain (1993)". The title track has a bit of a history, as it was originally written and recorded to be included on the band´s debut full-length studio album "Eternal Nightmare (1988)" and later on the sophomore studio album "Oppressing the Masses (1990)" (the Japanese version of the album features the track). Both times the track was left off the albums as a consequence of record label pressure, because the label felt the lyrical content was too offensive.
Today it´s a bit hard to understand why the lyrics to "Torture Tactics" was deemed so offensive, when in retrospect there have been a lot of songs both before and since, which have been far more offensive, but sometimes artists are just unlucky enough to be caught up in label politics or outside pressure on labels, and I guess that´s what happened to Vio-Lence back then. It´s a bit of a shame really, because "Torture Tactics" is a high quality thrash metal track in the trademark aggressive and technically well played Vio-Lence style, which could easily have been included on any of the band´s album releases.
In addition to the title track the EP features three other tracks in "Office Nice (Live)", "Gutterslut", and "Dicks of Death". The first is a "fake" live track, which features a live intro from an August 1988 show, and then a live in the studio version of the track. You wouldn´t be able to hear it if you didn´t know it though, so this sounds 100% like it was recorded live in concert. It´s a fairly good quality track and the sound quality is decent without being outstanding. Both "Gutterslut", and "Dicks of Death" are re-recorded tracks from the band´s demo days (which is also the case with the title track). Both are pretty nasty, naughty, and sexually subject oriented (and quite humourous...of course depending on what you find funny). As an example here is a lyric line from "Dicks of Death": "I got loads of jizz... you can suck me all night, You can swallow my children alright". Pure poetry...
The EP features a relatively well sounding production, which suits the material well, and upon conclusion "Torture Tactics" is a nice little release bridging the gap between two full-length studio albums. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.