2024-04-12 06:00:03
Friends Of Hell – God Damned You To Hell
Origin: Greece / Cyprus / Sweden
Release: 12.04.2024
Label: Rise Above Records
Duration: 44:35
Genre: Doom Metal / Occult Metal
Returning two years after the debut album of the same name Friends Of Hell with their occult stories wrapped in old school metal. But a lot has changed, as you can quickly hear. The list of the line-up confirms the change that can be heard acoustically, because the frontman’s voice sounds completely different.
Band co-founder Albert Witchfindermost of Reverend Bizarre known, passed on the microphone. Celebrated for him Hellbutcherwith his main band Nifelheim lies on ice, the sinister stories.
But even more has happened, as a guitarist too Jondix left the band. The gap became equal Booze and Beelzeebubth doubled on guitar. What remains as the origin and driving force of Friends Of Hell is the doom metal veteran Tas Danazoglou on drums and the bass player Taneli Jarva. Nevertheless, the personnel changes are unmistakable throughout.
The same basis, but more variable
What remains are the dark and occult stories as the basis and driving force for the band’s output. But Friends Of Hell have turned away from the coarse and raw sound of their debut. The double on guitar presents album number two in a much more diversified way. Nevertheless, you don’t immediately feel the change across the entire width. The eponymous opener God Damned You To Hell starts properly with chimes and a dirty gallop, but for the duration of the song it lacks the snottiness and coarseness of the debut album.
More then does the following Grand Inquisitor here, that you HERE can listen. Deep, slow riffs and a vocally rough presentation come much closer to the band’s dark intentions. But instead of continuing to stir up bad blood in the darkness, the band joins in Bringer Of Evil switches to mid-tempo and suddenly begins to present harmonies with the duo on guitar. This is trilled Hellbutcher in the best power metal style Bringer Of Evil. No, this song doesn’t fit into the concept and repeating the chorus several times doesn’t really get the point across.
A similar course of events is feared Snakes Not Sons. But after over four minutes of epic metal, the song finally catches itself and hits the tube again Hellbutcher on the voice. The basic epic theme remains with the following Arcane Macabre receive.
Where is the Hellmouth?
Band co-founder and drummer Tas Danazoglou has to do with his past Satan’s Wrath and Electric Wizard proved that uncompromising runs in his veins and his heart beats to the solemn beat of doom metal. That’s why sounds Ave Satanatas almost like a relief for fans of the first album. Hellbutcher wheezes and torments the words. The song passes through our ears in a doomy and evil way. Yes, these are the friends of hell who live up to their name! This evil feeling can Let The Devil Take You doesn’t hold up with his guitar harmonies despite the nasty lyrics.
First Cross Inverter brings us back the black depth, a tough sound and the dirtiest possible vocals. There are also simple riffs, played without any frills. Finally, the extra length comes in at almost eight minutes All The Colors Of The Dark. Hellbutcher torments the voice and riffs roll over the listener like meter-high waves. The melodies are not only dark, but also melancholic. The guitars refrain from playing around each other, but instead devote themselves to the precise, cutting riffs.
So finally the big reconciliation takes place and the listener gets this portion of darkness that gives us Friends Of Hell promised and that we all expected.
Conclusion
Friends Of Hell have increased staff and music. Content follows God Damned You To Hell the debut album, but the temporary twin guitars and epic-looking excursions are irritating. With Ave Satanatas, Cross Inverter and the final one All The Colors Of The Dark The band still focuses on the essentials. Here the raw riffs cut, swim on doomy lava and the diabolical content is presented by poisonous vocals. 7 / 10
Line Up
Hellbutcher – vocals
Tas Danazoglou – drums
Beelzeebubth – guitar
Taneli Jarva – Bass
Spirits – Guitar
Tracklist
01. God Damned You To Hell
02. Grand Inquisitor
03. Bringer Of Evil
04. Snakes Not Sons
05. Arcane Macabre
06. Ave Satanatas
07. Let The Devil Take You
08. Cross Inverter
09. All The Colors Of The Dark
Links
Instagram Friends Of Hell
Also on Soundmagnet.eu
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