There are a lot of “extreme” metal subgenres, one of the most extreme of those is Powerviolence, where the songs are short, fast, and delivered with authority. Powerviolence is music that steamrolls your face. The band, KARRAS, released their second full-length album, “We Poison Their Young,” on September 29, 2023, on the M-Theory Audio label. I say that this is a full-length album not because of its twenty-two-minute runtime, but mainly because there’s a full album of material present within that rather short duration. Any more tracks would be too overwhelming.

This is my first time hearing the Parisian powerviolence band, KARRAS, and while listening to the opening track, “Prelude To Depth,” I drew a parallel between them and the mighty, HIGH ON FIRE. Diego Janson’s vocals sound similar to those of Matt Pike and this track in particular, with its powerful riffs and raspy shouts. Also, there is a hefty dose of movie samples. “Prelude To Depth” with two. There are enough religious and blasphemous samples on “We Poison Their Young” to make ROB ZOMBIE proud. Following “Prelude To Depth,” is the speedy track, “A Chaplain’s Breath.” They do a great job of balancing the tracks. There is usually a faster, shorter song after a longer, slower one. This track is a perfect “amuse-bouche,” which is fitting given their homeland. It has everything great about metal in a tight little thirty-seven-second shell. Next up is “Roland Doe,” one of the four two-minute-plus tracks. This one goes from fast to faster and harder to harder. There is a slower part that lets you recover before getting belt sander abrasive again. I find it exhilarating.

Towards the middle of the album, the impish, “Demons Got Rhythm,” and the urgent “Fear Me, Go Fast,” are definite standouts. The former is an eight-second burst of levity, and the latter would not be out of place on a DYING FETUS album with its commanding chorus and nonstop ferocity. Towards the end of the album, “My Aim Is Violence” will steamroll your face off. The track rumbles like a tornado while the notes all but blur together. My hat is off to drummer, Etienne Sarthou and his production wizardry for that. I also love the way the accompaniment fades out and Diego Jansen shouts, “My aim is violence!” The album closer, “Negative Life,” caps things off nicely. With its three-minute duration, this track is practically epic in proportion. They play things fairly straightforward here as well. There is only one minor burst of wicked insanity. I do love the percussive guitar riff that makes up the hook. It’s a solid track on a killer album. Ultimately, “We Poison Their Young” is the most fun you will ever have while being bulldozed. It’s an assault on the ears in the best way possible.