It’s never too bad to flatter and worship your idols through music. GRUESOME are doing it with DEATH, and they are killer at it. However, this year, it’s HELLBRINGER‘s turn, a group of thrashers from Australia. And those Aussies love SLAYER. I know, not shocking to those of you who are familiar with the band, but this time, they take it on a whole different level.
The album kicks in with “Fall Of The Cross” which sets the tone: “Hell Awaits” influenced atmosphere, full speed ahead and dangerous as hell itself, worshiping the unholy legacy of the thrash gods SLAYER. But one thing saves them from being labeled a shameless copycat: good songwriting and varied influences from INFERNAL MAJESTY, DARK ANGEL and others. Songs that are written in such a way, that are meant to stick in your head. “Coven Of Darkness” comes up next with a “Captor Of Sin” inspired intro lead, balancing between speed and groove. “Realm Of The Heretic” follows, with an “Altar Of Sacrifice” kind of structure and a killer chorus as well as a killer scream. “Iron Gates”, kicks in with an INFERNAL MAJESTY feeling all over it, driving our necks to snap with its headbanging riffs, before speeding up for the guitar solo!
“Spectre Of Rebirth”, kicks in with a killer SLAYER-jams-with-DARK ANGEL kind of riff, with the drums grooving it at first, and then going mid-tempo for mosh pits to burst out of nowhere, before speeding up after the second chorus and destroying all that’s left of our necks. The title track’s killer harmonic leads, bring us more thrashing madness for our listening pleasure, breaking into a mosh part before the solo. The INFERNAL MAJESTY influence comes back with the final track “Dark Overseer”, of course, blended with the ever present SLAYER, to create another thrash tornado, ending in the “Hell Awaits” manner.
A truly enjoyable record, great riffs, solid songwriting, what else can we ask for? You’re doing it right down there mates, cheers!
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