There has been quite a buzz about the release of the first full length
Hell album and for good reason. Formed in the heady NWOBHM days,
Hell fashioned some exciting and highly original music hampered by below average (even for those days) demo level production.
The bands original incarnation never managed to progress beyond the demo stage, mainly due to the record label they had signed to collapsing in 1986 before their debut album could be recorded. Shortly after this, singer/guitarist Dave Halliday committed suicide and the groups bright future was all but extinguished.
Now, over 20 years on from those tragic events,
Hell has been resurrected once again thanks to metal producer extraordinaire Andy Sneap. Sneap was a fan of his band in his teenage years and having cut his teeth in British thrash legends
Sabbat, knows his way around a fret-board. Soon the band was reformed with original members Kev Bower (guitar/keys), Tony Speakman (bass) and Tim Bowler (drums) plus Sneap and new vocalist David Bower filling in for the sadly departed Halliday.
It seems like the tarot cards have finally dealt the band a choice hand, as
Human Remains is an astonishingly addictive release. It's not new material, but the songs the band put out in demo form in the 80's re-recorded and brought up to date with the sort of thick, rich production that they have been crying out for all these years.
The bands sound is a dense one, with NWOBHM riffs cascading rapidly down on top of one another with some thrashy and doom-filled moments added in for good measure. If you have ever listened to
Sabbat you will recognise that young Sneap definitely took some of his fast riffing idea's from the original incarnation of
Hell. In a strange twist of fate Martin Walkyier (
Sabbat and former
Skyclad frontman) was going to sing on this album but dropped out to be replaced by budding thespian (and Kev Bower's brother) David.
This turns out to be an inspired choice as David turns in a gleefully eccentric performance that almost steals the show on the record. Fans of the original demos will welcome this news as David Halliday's vocals were highly original and one of the main draws to the demos. Bower's vocals are not quite as high pitched but they are powerful and layered with a thick, dramatic tone that adds a mystical and also particularly British sound to proceedings.
His theatrical style is in perfect compliment to the bands over the top music. You can see why they found it tough in the early days as this certainly isn't straight ahead, traditional 4/4 heavy metal. Opener
On Earth As It Is In Hell will give you a good indication of whether or not you will fall for the album's black magic. The triumphant riffing and keyboard heavy opening passage leads you into the thrashier verses with Bower proclaiming The Great Beast's dominion over the land. It's gloriously overblown and moments of it are camp beyond belief, but this camp mixes well with the dark music and themes to create a intoxicating blend.
A moment that illustrates this perfectly is the beginning of
Blasphemy And The Master where the vocals are delivered in torturous spoken-word backed by a shadowy doom drumbeat, prog keyboards and the ominous tolling of a bell. This passage is brought to an end with the cry of
"Oh Satan I beseech thee to have mercy, mercy on my soul" before the song kicks in. This track in particular is highly reminiscent of Merciful Fate/King Diamond, especially in the way that Bower utilises all sorts of different vocal styles to build up the drama and create a sense of heightened unease.
What really impresses me about the album is the amount of variety in song writing. Not just between songs but also in terms of the amount of riffs and tempo changes crammed into each one. A track like
Plague And Fire had me from the first note, telling as it does the story of the Black Plague and then the Great Fire sweeping through old London town. The music, like the subject matter moves at frightening speed, enveloping all that it touches in its breakneck riffs and addictive chorus.
This can then be contrasted against the mid-paced number
The Devils Deadly Weapon that is lead by a keyboard line that
Magnum would be proud of, although I don't think you would ever heard
Bob Catley singing about how
"The Devil is within us". It's this kind of inventive musicianship that is really captivating.
And talking about captivating, just wait till you hear
Macbeth. The track opens with the sound of distant bagpipes before the sample of the three witches famous
"When shall we three meet again" passage that was used in the original demo returns. This song is built around some archetypical NWOBHM riffs but done in the band's own unique style. It's an excellent track that displays the bands fine grasp of literature as well as metal dynamics.
As the albums terrifying journey through the ages winds to a close we are brought right up to date with news samples outlining the shameful and horrific abuses of children by members of the Catholic church. These samples pull no punches, directly attacking the current Pope, Benedict XVI and likewise the song they lead into
Save Us From Those Who Would Save Us is a gut-punch aimed at those who would attempt to save our souls while destroying our free will. It's without doubt my favourite song on the album and its manic tongue-twisting chorus is addictive as it is difficult to sing.
Everyone involved in this album should be proud of the fact that they have not only carried on the bands legacy but have created one of the most exciting metal albums of 2011. For those of you who haven't heard any
Hell stuff before and would be interested in hearing the demos as well as the new recordings then fret not, there will be a double disc version with all the demo's included on the second disc. I urge you all to buy it as the band deserve your support and you deserve to hear this album.
Written by
Stuart Sunday, May 1, 2011
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