FROM HELL „Rats & Ravens”

Fastball Music & Echozone & Bob-Media Distribution, 2020

Music: Thrash Death Metal

Website:

http://fromhell.net/

https://www.facebook.com/thisbandisFROMHELL

https://thisbandisfromhell.bandcamp.com/

Duration: 55:00 minutes (10 tracks)

Country: United States

Although FROM HELL does not come from Hell but from California, and their content carries a large dose of horror movie, whose plot dates back to the 13th century, and is located somewhere in Eastern Europe. The case concerns a witch taking revenge on people for her wrongs. The way she treats people and controls them is very scary… But I will not summarize the content…

Anyway, the influence of the witch can be clearly heard in the terrifying screams emitted by the vocalist-guitarist Aleister Sinn (in fact George Anderson), who probably possessed by the witch created all the music and wrote this terrible story. This possession is visible in his eyes on the photo…

Each member of FROM HELL belongs to experienced musicians who had or still have their share in more or less known bands, such as guitarist Steve Smyth (ex-TESTAMENT, ex-FORBIDDEN, ex-NEVERMORE, ex-VICIOUS RUMORS) or bass player Stephen Paul Goodwin (ex-VICIOUS RUMORS). In the previous periods of the band’s activity, some musicians of SLAYER, DEATH ANGEL and POSSESSED also played there. However, I will not name them because this album does not concern them.

The album is very dynamic, obviously heavy and predatory, as befits to Thrash Death Metal mix, in which crushing strength and powerful aggression are intertwined with melodic and biting solos and massive slowingdowns characterized by Black Metal stylistics. The arrangements are quite technical. And this characteristic way playing fingers on the bass by Stephen sometimes brings a somewhat psychedelic-dark atmosphere.

The vocal’s matter is mainly based on animal screaming phrases usually kept in high tones, which I could describe as a melange of vocals from KING DIAMOND / MERCYFUL FATE and OVERKILL as well as the outbursts from JUDAS PRIEST. In addition to screams, the more human screaming and singing phrases appear there. However, the singings are episodic vocal manifestations, which give a note of melancholy. Here the vocal plays the role of presenting dialogues between the characters of this terrible novel, which really gives an interesting effect.

The whole atmosphere of the album is emphasized by musical (in style of ambient / soundtrack) inserts beginning or ending some tracks, like dark and ominous interludes for a few seconds… The atmosphere of the whole could really be associated with KING DIAMOND / MERCYFUL FATE. Of course the music of FROM HELL is heavier. Without a doubt this is a very solid and climatic Thrash Death Metal!

Tracklist:

  1. Dark Heart
  2. They Come at Night
  3. Lilium
  4. The Witch
  5. Don’t Cry for Help
  6. Three and Nine
  7. Forest of the Screaming Trees
  8. Room for One
  9. Body Rats
  10. Am I Dead

Line-up:

Wes Anderson – drums

Steve Smyth – guitar

Stephen Paul Goodwin – bass

Aleister Sinn – guitars & vocals

 

Rate: 8.5/10

Home: Parczew (Poland). Interests / Hobbies: music, musical journalism, oriental studies, anthropology, psychology, medicine, sociology. Favourite music genres: first of all the all genres of Metal, Hardcore and Progressive Rock as well as Gothic, Ambient, Classical Music, Ethnic Music, Sacred Music, Choral Music, Soundtracks, New Age Music, Folk Music i sometimes Jazz, Electro, Experimental or Alternative Music... He co-founded magazine & webzine Born To Die'zine as Gnom.
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