Speed thrash death metallers Beltfed Weapon, featuring Frank Hetzel and his revolving band of legends, have released the new single and video, “Eternal Fire”, from their upcoming Darkened Demise EP. The track features Tim Aymar (Control Denied), Jeff Loomis (Nevermore/Arch Enemy), Kragen Lum (Exodus/Heathen), Jason Viebrooks (Exhorder, Grip Inc.) and Bryan Newbury (Into Eternity).

Beltfed Weapon mourns the loss of project member Tim Aymer who died on February 13, 2023 at the age of 59.

“One day I was listening to Control Denied, and as this is one of my favorite albums of all time, I said to myself 'I sure would love to work with Tim Aymar. I wonder what he would think if I messaged him.' I was also impressed with his work in (Helios and Pharaoh), so I sent him a message on Facebook (as we have been friends on there for a while), and he replied, 'Yea, I've liked your band Beltfed Weapon for some time and I would love to be involved with this.' I was super stoked, so I sent him the tunes and he got to work on them right away. Tim had a different way of writing. He sent me the vocal melodies worked out with a trumpet, with major keys in the melodies. This method sounded very odd to me, but I could envision the vocals with it. Once he sent over the vocal tracks, all was perfect. Tim said he learned how to do vocal melodies this way from Chuck Schuldiner. Tim's lyrics have always touched me. 

“It was an honor for me to have had this opportunity to work with him. I really wish I could work with him again and that he was here to witness the release of the Darkened Demise EP. So, I am honoring his life and memory and dedicating this EP to him. I know all he wanted was to have his music heard. That was most important to him. I am not certain, but do believe the song 'Eternal Fire' was the last song Tim recorded before he passed. I will miss him and remember what we shared together forever, R.I.P. Tim Aymar " - Frank Hetzel

Hetzel says "'Eternal Fire' is about two souls who hearts are on fire for each other with love, passion and pure ecstasy, bonded by a raging inferno that is forever ignited, rising up from hell into the heaven that they create for themselves, surrounded by bad lost selfish souls condemned to their hell to dwell for eternity and burn forever as they have chosen their demise."

Darkened Demise, mixed by Juan Urtega, features Steve Tucker (Morbid Angel), Jason Viebrooks (Exhorder/Grip Inc), JD DeServio (Black Label Society), Tim Aymar (Control Denied), Jeff Loomis (Arch Enemy), Kragen Lum (Heathen). Bryan Newbury (Into Eternity) and Dagna Silesia (Ghost Ship Octavius).

Combining four or more styles of metal into a single batch of songs is no small accomplishment. And Darkened Demise is packed with abrupt tempo shifts, staggered rhythms, extended middle-eights, and other musical hairpin turns that keep the music exciting and unpredictable.

"Eternal Fire" video:

"Head First Into Hell":

(Photo - Ylana Glickman)