CoC : Hellish Crossfire - Slaves of the Burning Pentagram : Review

Hellish Crossfire - _Slaves of the Burning Pentagram_
(I Hate Records, 2007)
by: Quentin Kalis (8.5 out of 10)

I have been fortunate to have treated to some great thrash this month, but Hellish Crossfire's debut must surely rank as my favourite and one of the best thrash albums I have heard this year. This is not due to any degree of originality on their part, and I suspect they would be the first to admit that innovation is not one of their priorities. No, it is my favourite simply due to their unapologetically retro approach, along the lines of German thrash innovators Kreator and Sodom, replete with a proto-black edge. And they do it damn well, pounding out thrash hymn after thrash hymn with Teutonic efficiency. Their aggressive rhythms and throaty vocals, akin to a mix of Bewitched and Possessed,

There's no point in pretending there is anything more than a rendition of a completely dated, albeit still highly listenable sound and in light of Sodom's ill-advised desecration (known as re-recordings to some) of the memory of their own early material, Hellish Crossfire have picked up the flaming gauntlet they dropped and run with it, albeit with great reluctance, into the arms of the 21st century.

Buy this. You won't find a better thrash album released this year.

Contact: http://www.ihate.se

(article published 21/11/2007)

ALBUMS
5/29/2010	Q Kalis	8	Hellish Crossfire - Bloodrust Scythe