As we all know acts from the South American continent have a predisposition to obdurately fixate their music in the 80s so much so that listening to most material from the underground there is like a time warp to the early 80s when Sodom were just about ready to start shaving. This split release covers two bands who resolutely live old school, probably walk around in spiked bullet belts and in full leather regalia even in the heat of summer.
Whipstriker the band is also run by Whipstriker the bassist and vocalist and has already released a slew of splits and one full length called “Crude Rock ‘N’ Roll” in 2010. This split with Power From Hell has already been superseded by a further two splits which yours truly hasn’t managed to hear yet. Whipstriker like dirty gritty metal; the kind purveyed by Venom on their debut, plus the swagger of Motörhead and punk drive of metallic nutters Warfare to certain degree. Surprisingly the production is clear yet still has that grinding rawness expected. The intro combines with “Hail To Macabre Warriors” and immediately you’ll think you’re hearing Cronos’s bastard offspring on the vocals such is the uncanny similarity. However the music has that 80s heavy metal feel rather than a thrash style creating the Motörhead feel to some degree with that unfettered raw violence. The Venom influences run through these songs with unflinching patriotism to old school metal. “Midnight, Sex And Wine” and “Christ Under Whip” veer close to speed metal in place and possess huge Fast Eddie like guitar solos, no mean feat given that guys incomparable ability to unleash skin peeling solos. There is a crust feel to the music as well as “Morbid Dogs” has a riff that feels like it was lifted from “Overkill” or “Bomber”, damn catchy it is too. Some punk rears its ugly head in “Sign Of Cruelty” though its heavy metal overall especially on “It’s Time To Kill Your God” which really is so damn catchy you’ll wonder where the hell the melody came from.
Power From Hell are a different proposition to Whipstriker but still cut from the same grubby cloth as their music focuses more on the Hellhammer side of unwavering caustic nastiness. I was drawn heavily towards the embryonic proto death material of Slaughter and also that of Mantas, the pre-Death band from Chuck Schuldiner. There is obviously plenty of old Sodom too but the sound is so much more barbaric and dense. The sound is very demo like with a massive thudding drum sound and monophonic guitar riffing barrage on “Behind Convent Walls”. As I mentioned Slaughter, the proper Canadian version not the shit American glam version is lurking around on the riffs and if you’re not sure what that means then get hold of “Strappado” by the band and you will immediately understand. There is also some debut Bathory running through the songs due to the feral sound and seemingly clumsy riffing style which is totally deliberate and understandable given the context of the songs and style especially on “Clestial Orgy” which is also rampant in d-beat and crust aggression. I’ll have to say that Power From Hell like Venom similar to Whipstriker but its not as obvious apart from the rancid sound but it is there nonetheless.
Probably not that easy to get hold of but both these bands are worthy of investigating if you like old school metal with touches of thrash and death.
(7.5/10 Martin Harris)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Whipstriker/168378886539292
http://www.facebook.com/pages/POWER-FROM-HELL/118053128270317
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