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This is where most of the extreme metal bands of today got their inspiration from. A simple little demo EP, and who knew it would become one of the most influential metal recordings of all time. After all, it was made by a bunch of teenagers with the sole purpose of being more extreme than Venom!
Things get kicked off with a bang with the insanely rough around the edges black / speed metal of "Third Of The Storms". The same drum beat the entire time, a simple two or three chord riff, very rough vocals (some of the best ever!). As a matter of fact, the second track, "Massacra" is very much in the same formula, except catchier somehow. And that reminds me: since this album is ultra primitive, you'll be able to memorize this entire album in about 2 or 3 listens.
The third track, the "centerpiece" of sorts, the nine minute-plus, "The Triumph Of Death", is much more doom metal in execution, and is able to actually pull off some atmosphere, thanks in part to the screaming, groaning and moaning of Tom G. Warrior. There's actually a pretty cool main riff in here, once the song gets off the ground (the intro is a little overlong, it could use some trimming.).
And back to the black / speed! "Horus / Aggressor', "Revelations Of Doom" and "Messiah" (the last two added as bonus tracks in the 1990 re-release, both originally released on the 1984 "Death Metal compilation) are very much in the same style of the first 2 songs, yet they still find a way to avoid being monotonous in any way.
Well, there you have it. One of the greatest EPs of all time, and an album that all death and black metal fans should check out and appreciate. After all, without this, those genres may never have existed, or at least been a lot more different than it is now.
| Tracklist |
| 1. The Third Of Storms |
| 2. Massacra |
| 3. Triumph Of Death |
| 4. Horus / Aggressor |
| Bonus tracks: |
| 5. Revelations Of Doom |
| 6. Messiah |
: 27.13
| Buy other Hellhammer albums |
