18 months ago or so I reviewed this bands sophomore and was mightily impressed with its approach and style as yet another Israeli band sees fit to let us know that their metal scene is alive and kicking furiously. Depending on what you prefer and have gorged upon during your metal upbringing either the second or third albums make or break a band into worldwide notoriety as I had some constructive criticism of the bands “Steelcrusher” release as I am now presented with the bands third album of thrash metal but not as we know it.
The dramatic intro piece titled “From Parts Unknown” could be interpreted literally as this release blows the confines of thrash metal parameters out into the stratosphere and is one of the bravest releases I have heard for a very long time. The symphonic styled intro leads straight into “Rise Of The Hammer” and is exactly what you would expect it to be, scathing vocals, but with a melody that has infected my head since I first heard it. The production glistens with professionalism, the guitar is afforded plenty of opportunity to scythe chunks of flesh whilst the drums beat you to a pulp. Vocally this release is some of the most dextrous I have heard also and whilst not the master of all the styles the proverbial jack of all trades is highly appropriate and extremely engaging as one of my criticisms of the last release was the one dimensional vocals. Here we get the complete other side of the spectrum that continues with “I Live For This Shit” (which is also a song by Waco Jesus by the way, useless info I know) which is neck snapping the moment it kicks off. Even here the band pins some stuff into the tune that is unforeseen but damn addictive with guitar hooks peppering the song persistently.
I absolutely love “Ready To Roll” as it has a riff that Annihilator would be proud of with speed metal shredding razoring through the tune like a knife. Sounding a charge to battle is “Raise Some Hell”, an infectious tune that is strikingly melodic and ingrains into your head like your being branded by it. The chant vocals were present on the last release but here they have more focus as the speed is whipped up on “Blackened Blade”. A pit frenzied monster the song blasts along with inexorable force but is still packed with melody and here I will say, possibly controversially, that the melodic hooks that the band have incorporated throughout this album are like very early In Flames in the 90s but this is far more aggressive obviously.
The interlude of “Ode To Ares” is a little awkward as a standalone piece but it precedes “Altar Of Pain” brilliantly and should have been used to start “Altar Of Pain” outright, as a drifting vocal narration floats around in the mix with some melodic symphonics used that are copied by the guitar in “Altar of Pain” perfectly as the tune steps on the gas and rockets it into a style of thrash that is utterly enslaving, a sonic opiate so to speak. The riff that starts “Blood And Pain” is massive and bolstered by an initial double kick that comes across as old heavy metal like Priest did with “Exciter” or Motorhead did on “Snaggletooth” or “Locomotive” except the vocal bark is obviously different. You can’t argue with a song titled “Saturday Night Circle Pit Fight” it is everything you’d expect being tuneful, catchy and spitting out lyrics like a Pantera song. Closing the album awesomely is “Road To Hell” a vicious double kick charged incursion as the jugular slashing riffs are meted out with impenitent maniacal glee. Every thrash fan needs to hear this including those still stuck in the 80s thinking nothing is better than that era which is utterly stupid as Hammercult will be your new favourite thrash band I guarantee it and if it isn’t, you must be deaf or stupid or both. As always the first releases are lavish with limited editions of the CD as a digipack with a DVD bonus and the vinyl which has an exclusive bonus track which I just bought.
(9.5/10 Martin Harris)
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