To Brazilian fans, live albums are a tradition. Such kind of releases seem like a 'mark' on the band's careers, like a 'closing chapter' feature, separating an older era from a new one. And some bands (of course musicians are fans, before anything) seem to inherit such features. And it's good to see a titan with more than 30 years in its shoulders as the quintet SCARS (hailing from the city of São Paulo) releasing a live album as "Violent Tour: Live in São Paulo".

Even the three decades of existence didn't tempered their violent and impacting form of playing Thrash Metal (influenced by acts as EXODUS, SLAYER, ANTHRAX and others on such trench). In reality, it seems that as older they are, the more violent their musical work becomes! It's full of energy, played with a good technical insight (that means that it isn't overloaded in a form that the Thrash Metal aggressive hooks are lost), and a massive and impacting music. Their musical work sounds honest to themselves, full of an aggressive energy, but always with good taste.

It's their first release with the presence of their new guitarist, Ricardo Lima, and "Violent Tour 2022: Live In Sao Paulo" was captured at Iglesia La Borratxeria at São Paulo (SP) in July. Even with production of Jonas and Alex Zeraib (this last one did mixing and mastering at Tretiak Studios by Alex Zeraib), the sonority is simply what one can find on the band's live shows, without endless overdubs that would tear apart the 'live feeling' of the album. It's defined, but you must take care of the ears due their musical aggressiveness.

There are 10 songs on the album, with all of them coming from their 2005 EP "Nether Hell" and from 2020 album "Predatory". All of them are the real thing of their musical work, but pay attention to "Ancient Power" (a massive Thrash Metal onslaught with contrasts between fast and slow parts, based on excellent guitar riffs), "Return to the Killing Ground" (an abrasive song with slower 'nightmarishing' tempos, with a brutal, technical and massive playing of bass guitar and drums), "Armageddon" (a fast and moshpting moment of the album, guided by pyroclastic guitar riffs and hardcore snarls of the vocals), "Violent Show" (this one could be described as an Old School Crossover/Thrash Metal song, but with many caustic set of Death Metal blast beats), "Predatory" (one of their live hits, where the influences of SLAYER and ANTHRAX become clearer, but always tempered with personality), and "Hidden Roots of Evil", there are the better ones to massacre your ears and necks.

After such a slaughter, it must be said that SCARS deserves applause for its resilience after 30 years of fights and hardships that are common in the Brazilian underground scene. And to Thrash Metal fans, a tip: listen to "Violent Tour: Live in São Paulo" and blast your ears off!