DEATHHAMMER - Evil Power

September 1, 2015, 8 years ago

(Hells Headbangers)

Greg Pratt

Rating: 7.5

review heavy metal deathhammer

DEATHHAMMER - Evil Power

Third album in for this Norwegian true metal duo, and they're true metal in the best of ways: a modern blackthrash approach by a band hell-bent on paying homage to, say, the speedier parts of Testament's debut album hits the hellacious spot just right, and that's exactly what Deathhammer deliver here. Above all, the band is fun to listen to, which makes a huge difference: you can tell they love their metal but they're not afraid to deliver the raging, full-speed-ahead tunes with a bit of a wink and a nod, in the most affectionate of ways. 

Check the hysteria of a cut like "Total Metal", blackthrash wail of death in full effect, guitar solos making Kerry King plug his ears, the whole thing just manic, manic, manic until the closing guitar solo trails off into the night. Then the next song starts up with a "metal guy laugh," and you just think, yeah, these dudes have done their homework, tapping into the best parts of '80s first-gen speed and trad and delivering with a modern, heavy blackthrash perspective, everything coming clear most psychotically during the excellent "Belial's Curse", which rips things up for a triple-time polka-thrash waltz to the booze depot and back.



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