Tattooist and metal scene stalwart Tas Danazoglou returns with Friends of Hell for more trad metal/ doom dark shenanigans.
This is the second opus by Friends of Hell and follows the self-titled debut in 2022. There has been a change of personnel with Albert WItchfinder’s pipes being replaced by Hellbutcher of Nifelheim and guitarist Jondix jumping ship. He was replaced by two axe wielding fellas – Bebelzebuth of Mystifier and Sprits of Solitary Sabred.
The plan with the new line up is to take the Friends out of the studio and on the road.
So how does this new band of road warriors sound?
Pretty damn good is the answer. It’s old skool heavy metal with a doomy tinge and a tonne of Hammer horror fake blood and heaving bosoms. For fans of Pentagram, Witchfinder General and Candlemass. Hellbutcher’s vocals sit somewhere between Messiah and Seventh Son era Brucey D for me and certainly give a blunderbuss worth of power to proceedings.
Strangely it took me a few listens to lock in with this album, which is more to do with my mindset and my current listening habits than it does the tunes on offer. Once I chilled out and remembered that life is not all about blastbeats and breakdowns I found myself enchanted by these devilish fuckers.
Each track lures the listener in with a hook and a catchy chorus that has classic 80’s metal coursing through it’s now spurting veins. Every one has a title that could be straight out of a Dennis Wheatley compendium – Ave Satanas, Let the Devil Take You etc etc.
It’s fun darkly brooding metal with the occasional background shriek from virginal victims sometimes over galloping Mercyful Fate style riffs and at other times the heavy plod of a funeral procession. Ave Satanas has a black metal style tremolo picking solo in it which brings with it the shadow of 2nd Wave Black Metal so my upturned Hammer Hands become claws momentarily.
“Bringer of Evil” remains stuck in my brain as I type this – it starts with a Maidenlike intro and continues in the same vein. Within a minute I am singing along about Lucifer spawning Satan’s son. Utter drivel but so bloody catchy and fun. Solo’s fire off with no fucks given atop a galloping riff that set’s my internal M(att)TV screen to me riding a black stallion across a mountain top to save Ingrid Pitt. Whilst “Snakes Not Sons” brings a bit of Dio era Sabbath into the mix with the riffs and melodies.
“Let the Devil Take You” has all the makings of a live barnstormer – the snear Hellbutcher has as he pronounces someone a liar before the Priest style cries of Sinner, Blasphemer had me harking back to Sad Winged days. The sparring between the vocals and the guitars here are great, intertwining with the twin guitars like snakes round the legs of an acolyte. Oh I had better mention another classic sounding mini solo and some choral backing chants. Yeah this is great stuff.
Cross Inverter conjures up memories of Spinal Tap and not just due to the cheesy chorus. No by sweet Summer child go back and revisit that classic film/album and remember that beneath the tongue in cheek lyrics there are some damn fine choons. This one has the bombast of Hellhole and the big balls of Rock and Roll Creation. I hope no bass players were stuck or drummers harmed in the making of this track.
The album is brought to a close by the epic “All the Colours of the Dark” which is a bit of a plodder but has some big beefy riffs to contend with and ends with a fair maiden offering herself up for sacrifice to the horned one. All good black magick fun kids!
If you are looking for technicolour schlock Doom metal then this is the band for you. There is even some back masking at the end. Stick it on – it will make you grin and flick the horns.
(8/10 Matt Mason)
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