You could throw a bowling ball into a forest and get a complete strike as it hurtles through the trees knocking one-man black metal outfits over like ten pins. What about those who play thrash though and go it alone? Sure, there are examples like err Hellripper and 25-year old Aberdeenshire native James McBain has been creating quite a stir with second album ‘Affair Of The Poisons’ which was obviously seen as good enough to warrant picking up by none other than Peaceville Records after his 2017 debut ‘Coagulating Darkness’. Seriously, if you feel the need for speed this fast and furious bastard aint gonna let you down as it romps through 8 lethally honed tracks in just a few seconds scant of the half hour mark.

It’s old-school to the hilt too, forget about the artists youthful age and doing music the way it was done well before he was even conceived, this poisonous brew reeks of authenticity from beginning to end. The title track may limber up but it romps off in a blaze of exuberant riffs and keeps going. Vocals are right back in time to when Venom were starting to batter out their uncouth craft and romping through the decades right up to the catchy stuff dome by Midnight, ah yeah now Athenar there’s another lone figure on the thrash / speed metal scene. The other thing that struck me about this is just how damn addictive it is, it actually takes back to the fascination I had with the first couple of Witchery albums and EP, simply could not stop playing them and this album has gone down a similar route. There’s a whiff of something foul, it’s crust indeed as we romp into ‘Spectres Of The Blood Moon Sabbath’ which quickly boogies down a bit of a Motorhead route, on the highway in flames. Melodicism is at the fore and its near impossible not to find yourself air-guitaring along.

Obviously, James likes films of ill-repute to go along with his metal he even has a song called ‘Blood Orgy Of The She Devil’s’ here and there’s odes to vampires, witch hunters and tales of ghastly practices going on Beyond The Convent Walls although lyrically owing much more to the likes of Bruno Mattei than Walerian Borowczyk. You may not have time to take that all in though, certainly on 1st play when this flies by like a lunatic horseman being pursued by all the hounds of hell. Forget picking a favourite, the second you think “this is it” the next track is upon you. You should not forget the power of the Teutonic gods either here. ‘Savage Blasphemy’ is a good example of the early Destruction and Kreator days complete with some todger caught in zip high notes; great stuff.

For once there’s little point waffling away here, in tribute I can keep this one short, besides I’m too busy banging my head. Everything ends up at ‘The Hanging Tree’ and all that’s missing is a Vincent Price sample; the spirit of Hopkins restlessly broods over this with villainous intent. The last thing to say is the cover art by Skadvaldur completes the picture neatly. Total banger through and through.

(8/10 Pete Woods)

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https://hellripper.bandcamp.com/album/the-affair-of-the-poisons