I never had the US-Americans ATROCITY in my sight in the early Death Metal days, even less in auditory canals. If my memory serves me right, the German version was simply preferred, because 1. their stuff was quite good and 2. the mouth- and press-propaganda didn’t gave them a go back then. So, I haven’t listened to Infected (the first full-length released back in 1990) by now – and considering to the reunion release Let War Rage it seems that I could have missed something at that time.
For one thing I’m just plain torn between the dished stuff. For one thing the songs are almost unexceptionally simple in structures, in riffing, in the holistic acting. For another thing the tracks radiate a rude charm by a rough production heavy on bass which is manifold uncountable times on every Maxell tape then. I take for granted that the technical skills range quite higher after 25 years of band history than shown by ATROCITY nowadays. As straight as ATROCITY takes the old school path, as they consequently give a fuck to an exact timing and a spick and span performance. This doesn’t make it easier to grade the chunk Let War Rage. The musical directive judges the placing in Nocturnal Hall ranking at least. Righteous Pigs thunders in the opener Born In Pain, Unseen Terror rages in The Purging Of Humanity, goose-bump factor is given by the Sore Throat cover Horrendous Cut Throat System, but the old school Death Metal base gentrified by Grind and Punk eruptions rumbles too monotonous partly. The halting Apocalypse with its Thrash riff (old school of course) kills instead but the one or other double-bass attack I would have wished. But like I said: ATROCITY gives a fuck to the way of thinking these days.
If Let War Rage was in stores in the end of the 80s I would have bought it. But nowadays this release is pretty mediocre. All other old school Death/Grind-purists should check this stuff out at least.