It seems that the bands from the Eighties seem to awaken from their long slumber one after one to come back, Torch, Warlord, Picture, Ostrogoth, Vortex, Holocaust, endless list and right now Danish heavy metal band Witch Cross . And as next to nobody has ever heard of them, let me take a little look into the past of them, too.
Those who do follow, and appreciate, this Polish act will not be disappointed by Henbane, the newest opus of Cultes Des Ghoules. The band did release several vinyl recordings in the past, as well as a fabulous debut full length (Haxan, which was re-released by Hells Headbangers during spring 2011; see the update in our beloved Concreteweb’s Archives section on July 21st 2011).
After some independent vinyl-releases, Impious Baptism officially full-lengthily debut with Wrath of the Apex Predator. This project by nuclear exterminating boy J. (Nocturnal Graves, and also involved with Deströyer 666, Destruktor etc.) brings a no-nonsense collection of straight-forward tracks, the kind that balances in between Old School Purism and Early Style Purity (do you understand the balance?).
Formed in 2008 in Denmark, Cerekloth recorded two fantastic EP’s, Pandemonium Prayers and Halo Of Syringes, respectively in 2008 and 2011, both of them released through Hells Headbangers. And like most Hells Headbangers stuff, I did really like this material.
Fifteen years after its original release through Relapse, Hells Headbangers re-releases this beautiful full length on vinyl (double-LP available on black and silver / blue marble wax edition).
Australia’s Denouncement Pyre gave me another aural orgasm in 2010 with their debut full length World Cremation, released through Hells Headbangers (review posted on 07/07/2010 and still available on Concreteweb’s archives section).
Hailing from Australia, Mongrels Cross are debuting fulllengthly on Hells Headbangers about one year after the highly acclaimed EP Whoresanna. In the vein of that 2011-EP, this first full length, The Sins Of Aquarius, stands for a mixture of barbaric and venomous Death / Black / Thrash Metal. The tracks are firm, fierce, brutal and pounding, with a nice balance in between fast and slower tempos (yet with a focus on speed, including some blasting eruptions).
Originality = 0, performance = 100.
Hailing from the Philippines originally, Deiphago might be the oldest still-existing Extreme Metal combo from out there, yet one of the most unique ones as well. I do follow them since their earliest years, and with pleasure I notice their continuous evolution into nothing but all-the-same primitivity avant la lettre. I mean that they did start in order to pay tribute to ‘the old ones’ (i.e.
Michigan-based outfit Acid Witch signed to Hells Headbangers Records a while ago, and the first result of their collaboration was the exceptional second full length Stoned. For the (very professionally written) review about this release, check out the Hells Headbangers Special-update on 02/02/2011, now posted within the archives-section (since Concreteweb’s lay-out did change).
Satanic Bloodspraying are, I think, a pretty new act, hailing from Bolivia, and debuting on Hells Headbangers with the mini (24:32) At The Mercy Of Satan.
Mercy? Not for one’s eardrums, for sure.
This material sort of pays tribute to, especially, early Impaled Nazarene and early Bathory, as well as the likes of Blasphemy, Throneum, Nifelheim or Bestial Warlust.
