FRIENDS OF HELL
Friends Of Hell (Rise Above)
Traditionally, the best heavy metal bands steer clear of social and political commentary, opting to entertain us with threats of Satan, death and witches instead. The late 1970s and early 1980s was positively overflowing with such bands. With the current metal scene in somewhat of a lull, Friends Of Hell are dragging us back to that golden era.
Featuring the classic doom vocals of ex-Reverend Bizarre singer Albert Witchfinder, combined with the bass growl from Electric Wizard string-slinger Tas Danazoglou, Friends Of Hell are a very welcome throwback to the days of Black Sabbath and Hammer Horror. But write them off simply as tacky theatrical metal at your peril, because the doom bits hit painfully low and heavy, a la Saint Vitus, while the razor-sharp riffs give it a dangerous edge adding an almost black metal element. Kneel at the altar of Friends Of Hell, foolish mortals, because they’ve just made the year’s most morbid record.
words CHRIS ANDREWS
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