Deathhammer

Speedwhore – Visions of a Parallel World Review

Speedwhore – Visions of a Parallel World Review

“The band’s 2015 debut record, The Future Is Now, is a predictable platter of one-dimensional black/thrash riffs with gravelly vocals and the occasional Slayer pig squeal. That album flowed like one thirty-eight-minute track, barely allowing you to process a song before throwing you into the next. In general, the album is standard-fare black/thrash. Eight years later, the band returns with a new outing in the form of Visions of a Parallel World. But, this time, the production is far superior to its predecessor. The rawness is still there, the vocals are lower in the mix, the guitars rule the roost, and the dynamics are pleasing to the ear. The only thing that remains is the songwriting.” Speed kills ladies of the evening.

Deathhammer – Electric Warfare Review

Deathhammer – Electric Warfare Review

“Norway’s Deathhammer probably need no introduction as they’ve achieved some notoriety by releasing a string of full-lengths, demos, EPs, and splits—with some form of release almost every single year—since their formation back in 2005. My personal experience with the band is fairly limited, but I do own 2015’s Evil Power and consider it to be a good-to-very good example of the early, chaotic thrash sound. I skipped 2018’s Chained to Hell despite its stellar artwork, but let’s see what Deathhammer sounds like in 2022.” Hammer will hurt them.

Insane – Victims Review

Insane – Victims Review

“My door is always open for 80s-inspired speed metal. You see, all you younger folks merely adopted the speed. I was there when it first broke through the ground and started hunting for scalps. I was raised by it, molded by it. I owe it a debt. And so I grabbed the promo for Insane’s sophomore outing based on a sample I heard that sounded like the ugly stepbrother to classic Canadian speedsters Razor. I expected knuckle-dragging, saliva spraying acts of rapid-fire depravity on Victims. In this I was not disappointed, though the method of delivery had some surprises in store for me.” Wictims ov changes.

Blackevil – Forever Baptised in Eternal Fire Review

Blackevil – Forever Baptised in Eternal Fire Review

“Something wicked this way comes. What is that thing? It’s Germany’s Blackevil — and their sophomore record Forever Baptised in Eternal Fire follows with them. These maniacal monsters play a potent mixture of blackened thrash, speed metal, and pure heavy metal — the kind that Iron Maiden would have played if they’d been nearly as satanic and evil as the PMRC thought they were back in the 80s.” Z-evil never dies.

Evoke – Seeds of Death Review

Evoke – Seeds of Death Review

“I’m a hammer kind of guy. I wield the Banhammer in the comment section, one of my favorite historical figures is Charles “the Hammer” Martel, my favorite Avenger is Thor, and I love the throwback 80s speed and insanity of Norway’s Deathhammer. Albums like Evil Power take me back to the glory days of speed and provide all sorts of nostalgic amusement and berserker energy. Evoke hail from the same scene as Deathhammer and vocalist/guitarist Kato Marchant has played for them live. Seeds of Death is Evoke’s debut full-length, and it aims to hammer you with blinding speed and tongues firmly planted in the cheek of the 80s.” Feel the need for Seed.

Alcoholocaust – Necro Apocalipse Bestial Review

Alcoholocaust – Necro Apocalipse Bestial Review

“It’s Monday. 8:24 A.M. I pull my Toyota into the Magazine Street parking garage, fifth floor, the only spot in the shade that still has cell phone reception. Aura Noir’s Out to Die is blasting on the stereo. I pay the parking fee on my mobile app and sigh as I prepare myself for another day at the office. And then, I stop. What if I don’t go in? I think to myself. What if I just turn the car back on and drive away? What if I forget my job and spend the rest of the summer guzzling booze, getting hairy, and banging my fukkin head for the Master in Hell? It seems radical, but a group of people have actually done it.” Down with adulthood!

Mortal Scepter – Where Light Suffocates Review

Mortal Scepter – Where Light Suffocates Review

“My serious pursuits see me swimming in the olde. Philosophy’s greatest treasures are centuries and millennia old. One area of Ontarian contract law is essentially governed by a case concerning seafaring during the Napoleonic Wars. Romantically, well, I’ve gone grave robbing instead of cradle robbing, my affections being towards a lovely woman a few months my senior. It seems only fitting that French death-thrashers Mortal Scepter caught my eye.” Born too late.

Blackrat – Dread Reverence Review

Blackrat – Dread Reverence Review

“For years, throwback bands have charted the many tendrils of 80s influence ad infinitum, probably so well that you already know what Dread Reverence sounds like, don’t you? Maybe you do, but Blackrat don’t give a mouse’s patoot. For your listening pleasure, their third record provides only the finest selection of blackened thrashened crustened crust/thrash/black cuts, curated to slip even the sturdiest of discs. Dread Reverence is lean, mean, sounds like it was recorded by Fenriz as a teen, and desperately wants to be your friend. Won’t you take a spin on the throwback machine?” Wayback machines of wrath.