I often think that Black Thrash or Metalpunk styles are literally caricatures of the Metal scene. They are exactly what non-Metal fans picture, the spikes, the leather, Satan, fast, sloppy, aggressive and covered in corpsepaint. To be honest this is exactly why I like it, in the same way that Glam Metal is tacky and lame so too are these subgenres, I’m sorry but it’s true or should that be ‘trve’?
So on that subject let’s look to the brilliantly named Hellsword, a Slovenian trio with an adoration for the unholy. It’s pretty much everything I listed in my opening paragraph and I’m a sucker for that kind of thing. Formed in 2009 the band have worked hard to this point in 2021 and the unleashing of their debut full length album Cold Is The Grave. Put out through Emnazipation Productions, will it stoke the fires of hell or merely be left in the ashes?
The Venom/ NWOBHM worship is instant as the title track comes in with a mixture of Satanic evil and Diamond Head riffs. Then the Thrash/ Speed Metal carnage ensues, packed with raw Punk energy and slapping bass to complete the gruff aesthetic. Vocally Blackened and atypical of the genre, however it’s a style I really enjoy so I’m all for it. Nothing really excites me that much though (aside from general tone) until Satan, Death and Fear. This is exactly the sort of catchy Extreme Metal punch I’ve been looking for, anthemic and full of hellfire!
As we get to Cursed Blood though I’m back to shrugging, the whole album basically has everything I like but not enough power behind it. I don’t dislike it but I’ve heard much better, to be honest any band like this I just instantly compare to Nekrofilth or Midnight and it’s never as good as either of them. Unholy Reich has some promising riffs, but for me you can’t build an album on that alone, also they’re the kind of riffs that we’ve all heard before, not bad just generic. The final two tracks don’t offer anything new either, overall it’s pretty forgettable.
In conclusion this is total background fodder, the kind of music you hear as a group of friends walk into a Metal club in a slightly underground Horror movie. Is it bad? Absolutely not, all the ingredients are there, but is it innovative or interesting? Not at all. I wouldn’t say no to seeing Hellsword in my home town but I’m not that eager to travel to see them, if you catch my drift. There’s better out there and therefore not much need for this.
(6/10 George Caley)
Leave a Reply