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"Lords of Eternity" Hellspawn |
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Forget about the track listing, I'm enjoying reading the list of "thank you's," or "hails" as is the case-Destroyer 666, Gospel of the Horns, Marty & Anatomy… The Wolves… Yes, this is in fact something
very very wicked that's underway, led by a man very familiar with all
things down under, Nekroslayer, otherwise known as Matt Sanders, well
respected Marty & Anatomy? Anyway, "Lords of Eternity,"
is an explosive exercise of harmonic discord, instrumental It only takes seconds to realize they carry themselves with the poise of a veteran band that's had the time and experience to exorcise their in-studio demons. In a day and age where "extreme" counts for little else than raising the rod for sacrilege, Hellspawn, not to be confused with their three pronged cousin "Thorn," brings the brutality grave-ward on eight tracks of unblessed Death without a trace of fear… the songs-we'll use "The Whores of Udramalech" as a reference, one of only a welcome few that are suitable for printing in the Black dictionary next to other words you couldn't pronounce to save your life-not that it'll help you now-well this one blazes out of the gate, slows, looks back momentarily, the instruments fall into a near deafening silence, then return to rectify their brief bout with heavy breathing, then a full blast intensity right toward their ultimate destination-"In the flames of demonic lusts…" A lovely little story that'll probably be well within bounds of the classroom some eleven years down… What sets Hellspawn apart from the likes of an Emperor, Mayhem or Dimmu Borgir types? In fact very little-save for the symphonic drama, existing simply for color, a brief luminescence in an otherwise pitch dark impiety, its prevails upon only for atmosphere, rarely crossbred with the rhythmic tendencies of the "chainsaw" led rage. They do ride the crest of this
darker than thou phenomenon until the music, with all its orchestrated
histrionics, sudden time shifts and morbid fascination with the unholy Hallowed devotees of the left hand
path, they'll be cursed by the break of day, theirs is a wholly nocturnal
existence, quite unimaginable compared to the aforementioned Cradle of Filth comparisons are also well within reason as "Heirs to the Throne," rips the flesh right off the bones of anything "Dusk and Her Embrace" might have brought, but out of respect to the band, and let's face it there's not many left anymore, "Lords of Eternity" for a newcomer wears the mark proudly. From the horned-beast's cover portrait,
to the Venom-like irreverence of the image-splitting trio housed in the
gate sleeve, Hellspawn produce an unmanageable noise that Released by Rotten Records Review by Vinnie Apicella [va85@columbia.edu] |