March 20, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

I’m sick with my love for all things ’80’s metal, I know.

Speed, death, black, even power (before it got watered down with chant signatures and Kai Hansen rip-offs), you name it. I especially have a soft spot for black speed-thrash done by the masters of the genre like Possessed, Slayer, Hobbs’ Angel of Death, early Dark Angel, and, of course, Venom. The only drawback to this genre being kept alive and well is that, while it’s alive, it’s also using the same verbiage from past magicians. There is very little room for originality here, so as long as you’re aware of this going in then you should be happy with what you’ll be hearing. My job here is to let you know if a certain band can hold up the standards of past masters and create an enjoyable piece of work. It’s not always easy to be objective, but as fans we must. It’s what sets us apart from any other genre on earth.

Hellish Crossfire hails from Germany and Bloodrust Scythe is the band’s sophomore effort. When I saw the name I immediately recalled the band Iron Angel (also from Germany) and their amazing album of the same name. The very second I heard vocalist Iron Tyrant sing I immediately thought of Jeff Becerra from Possessed. The audible similarities are haunting, and to be honest this is what sets this release apart from the myriad of others in the genre because Becerra’s delivery is not easily reproduced. It had a raspy sting to it that resonated long after Don Doty and Tom Araya left your stereo. He actually sounded as if he was long-suffering in some Hell north from here, and it was great for the time. Since Iron Tyrant doesn’t bother shrieking or gutturally bore with his vocal style it is a welcome trip back.

There are some fine elements of speedy thrash here, as well as some slower head-bang moments that change tempo nicely without being sloppy, albeit somewhat predictable. As I said, nothing new is going to be had here, but whether or not it belongs in your collection is another story, and I think Hellish Crossfire certainly warrants inclusion. With titles like “Into the Old and Evil,” “Black Injection,” and “Speed Hunter” how can it not?

Hellish Crossfire does a good job taking the old-school fan like myself back to a time of great black thrash metal, while introducing a new generation of fans to what would otherwise be a watery hybrid of something not memorable or even worth mentioning. For raw blackened thrash, check out the album and just have a good time without too much cerebral overload.  

Release Date: January 11th, 2010
Label: I Hate Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Night of the Possessed
2.  Black Injection
3.  ...of Slaying Grounds
4.  Into the Old and Evil
5.  Orgasmic Rush
6.  Speed Hunter
7.  At the Edge of Total Chaos
8.  Too Tough to Die

Total playing time:  42:46

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Hellish Crossfire - Bloodrust Scythe