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Triumph of Death (1983)
When people think of Hellhammer, most tend to hear the dark and morbid sounds of Satanic Rites or Apocalyptic Raids resonating within their brains. While those recordings were not without flaws, the 1983 Triumph of Death demo seems to have been crafted by a completely different band. Many of Satanic Slaughter's trademark riffs are present, but the overall feel is really pathetic and it is amazing that the band remained together long enough to develop beyond this poor representation of black metal.
There are so many things wrong with this that it becomes difficult to keep it all organized. The poor songwriting and sloppy musicianship are actually among the better qualities that this demo possesses. The vocals are so ridiculously bad that there is no way that the rest of the recording can be taken seriously. For a band so highly-influenced by Venom, there was absolutely no attempt at following in the footsteps of Cronos, voice-wise. Instead of sounding evil or demonic, Tom just sounds drunk. One would expect him to be tossing out cheap pick-up lines, rather than odes to the underworld. This almost suits the overall feel of the music, as much of it has an upbeat, poppy feel. This is most evident in the drumming. These kids really were not sure if they were out to create black metal or simple punk rock. There are far too many catchy rhythms on this demo and it kills any attempt to get into these songs. Perhaps, they were listening to too many Misfits songs, while writing this material. Even the songs that were later re-recorded for Satanic Rites lack any of the dark atmosphere that they later acquired.
The production would be a severe hindrance, if the material was worth hearing. The bass is too loud in the mix and the drums seem too separate from everything else. The guitar and vocals are buried, though in the case of the latter that may have been a good thing. Everything sounds too clean, which is almost surprising to say about a Hellhammer demo from 1983. Nothing about this sounds metal, at all.
Fans of Hellhammer (or just early black metal, in general), are encouraged to avoid this at all costs. Triumph of Death is a miserable recording that will kill your opinion of this band, quite likely. Despite the classic material that they later released, this demonstrates that their true essence was something far removed from those that they imitated. If you have heard Satanic Rites and Apocalyptic Raids, then you know all you need to, regarding Hellhammer. Stay away from this.
There are so many things wrong with this that it becomes difficult to keep it all organized. The poor songwriting and sloppy musicianship are actually among the better qualities that this demo possesses. The vocals are so ridiculously bad that there is no way that the rest of the recording can be taken seriously. For a band so highly-influenced by Venom, there was absolutely no attempt at following in the footsteps of Cronos, voice-wise. Instead of sounding evil or demonic, Tom just sounds drunk. One would expect him to be tossing out cheap pick-up lines, rather than odes to the underworld. This almost suits the overall feel of the music, as much of it has an upbeat, poppy feel. This is most evident in the drumming. These kids really were not sure if they were out to create black metal or simple punk rock. There are far too many catchy rhythms on this demo and it kills any attempt to get into these songs. Perhaps, they were listening to too many Misfits songs, while writing this material. Even the songs that were later re-recorded for Satanic Rites lack any of the dark atmosphere that they later acquired.
The production would be a severe hindrance, if the material was worth hearing. The bass is too loud in the mix and the drums seem too separate from everything else. The guitar and vocals are buried, though in the case of the latter that may have been a good thing. Everything sounds too clean, which is almost surprising to say about a Hellhammer demo from 1983. Nothing about this sounds metal, at all.
Fans of Hellhammer (or just early black metal, in general), are encouraged to avoid this at all costs. Triumph of Death is a miserable recording that will kill your opinion of this band, quite likely. Despite the classic material that they later released, this demonstrates that their true essence was something far removed from those that they imitated. If you have heard Satanic Rites and Apocalyptic Raids, then you know all you need to, regarding Hellhammer. Stay away from this.
(2 Dec. 2011)
Satanic Rites (1983)
In the autumn of 1996, I received a package from Metal Blade Records containing the first five Metal Massacre compilations on cassette. There was a lot of horrendous music spread across those tapes, but a few songs immediately stood out. Among them were Voivod's "Condemned to the Gallows" and "Crucifixion" by a Swiss band called Hellhammer. I had never heard of them before, but I soon sought out whatever I could find. It took another year or so before I learned that "Crucifixion" originated on the Satanic Rites demo. Once I discovered that, I pursued this obscure release for quite some time before finally getting my hands on it.
Satanic Rites is the third demo released by Hellhammer. The quality is vastly superior to what was heard on Denial Fiend and Triumph of Death. Recorded in early December 1983, this marked the first time that Hellhammer recorded music in a proper studio. It was done at the request of Noise Records and led to a full recording contract in March 1984 and the Apocalyptic Raids E.P. that would follow.
Musically, this is not necessarily what some may expect if they have some idealized version of Hellhammer in their heads. It was not some “super evil, occult darkness”. This is basically really sloppy, primitive Motörhead and Venom worship. There are certainly gloomier moments of mid-paced, doomy material, but the majority of it rocks hard. “Messiah”, “Eurynomos”, “Revelations of Doom” and “The Third of the Storms” are all evidence of this. There is nothing remotely evil about this, but that’s fine, because it is raw and energetic as hell. Even Tom’s vocals are are unrestrained and sound like he is just having fun. The darker moments can be found on tracks like “Buried and Forgotten” (which was later re-worked into “Necromantical Screams”) and “Triumph of Death”, the latter of which pales in comparison to the E.P. version. The songwriting is quite simplistic and yet these guys still managed to sound as if they were confused and playing different songs at the same time, here and there. The bits of atmosphere that show up are almost in spite of their efforts. If you want great riffs and sinister melodies from this time period, listen to Show No Mercy or Melissa. This is for those that want something straightforward and ugly.
Overall, Satanic Rites is much better than Hellhammer’s previous demos, even if the bar had been set pretty low. Apocalyptic Raids may contain stronger versions of some of these songs, but at the cost of the raw energy found here. Either way, this is still worth a listen.
Satanic Rites is the third demo released by Hellhammer. The quality is vastly superior to what was heard on Denial Fiend and Triumph of Death. Recorded in early December 1983, this marked the first time that Hellhammer recorded music in a proper studio. It was done at the request of Noise Records and led to a full recording contract in March 1984 and the Apocalyptic Raids E.P. that would follow.
Musically, this is not necessarily what some may expect if they have some idealized version of Hellhammer in their heads. It was not some “super evil, occult darkness”. This is basically really sloppy, primitive Motörhead and Venom worship. There are certainly gloomier moments of mid-paced, doomy material, but the majority of it rocks hard. “Messiah”, “Eurynomos”, “Revelations of Doom” and “The Third of the Storms” are all evidence of this. There is nothing remotely evil about this, but that’s fine, because it is raw and energetic as hell. Even Tom’s vocals are are unrestrained and sound like he is just having fun. The darker moments can be found on tracks like “Buried and Forgotten” (which was later re-worked into “Necromantical Screams”) and “Triumph of Death”, the latter of which pales in comparison to the E.P. version. The songwriting is quite simplistic and yet these guys still managed to sound as if they were confused and playing different songs at the same time, here and there. The bits of atmosphere that show up are almost in spite of their efforts. If you want great riffs and sinister melodies from this time period, listen to Show No Mercy or Melissa. This is for those that want something straightforward and ugly.
Overall, Satanic Rites is much better than Hellhammer’s previous demos, even if the bar had been set pretty low. Apocalyptic Raids may contain stronger versions of some of these songs, but at the cost of the raw energy found here. Either way, this is still worth a listen.
(5 Apr. 2009)
Apocalyptic Raids (1984)
Apocalyptic Raids was the first, and only, official Hellhammer release. As Martin Eric Ain joined the band, right after the recording of Satanic Rites, the sound of Hellhammer was expanded and became more sophisticated. Recorded during the first week of March 1984, at Caet Studio in Berlin, this E.P. was produced by the band and engineered by Horst Müller. After discovering the band through "Crucifixion", featured on Metal Massacre V, I sought out the Satanic Rites album but found this instead.
The opening moments of "The Third of the Storms (Evoked Damnation)" were a little bit of a disappointment for me, when I first heard this. I was expecting something with more of a raw edge to it. I'd later learn that the previous version of this song was more of what I was seeking. The sound here is a little too smooth and 'polished'. It has rather poor production (which doesn't bother me), but the sound is rather flat. The good thing is that Tom Warrior does a better job with the vocals. They are fairly low in the mix and remain somewhat indecipherable, which really works for him. The song is short and fast-paced, but it's not very energetic.
Next up is "Massacra", which is fast-paced but, once again, lacks that extra something. There is no dark atmosphere and it feels more like punk than metal, reminding me of GBH moreso than Venom. This is nothing more than a few minutes of mediocre songwriting.
Here is the moment where Hellhammer redeemed themselves and made their mark on black metal. "Triumph of Death" is the most epic composition to come from this trio and it is filled with a dark and tortured atmosphere. From the twisting guitar riffs that begin the song with an ominous tone to the absolutely tortured screams, this is a masterpiece. The screams and moans are, quite possibly, the sickest thing caught on tape at that point. The song continues to build up, with pounding drums that are heavy enough to crush your skull. The first verse conveys the grim feeling of this morbid track.
The last song of the Apocalyptic Raids E.P. is "Horus/Aggressor". This one begins with a repetitive drum beat as the guitars fade in from the abyss. This brief intro fades back into nothingness as a new riff takes over. This is rather mid-paced, despite the rumbling double-bass, but has a little more energy than the first two songs. The pace picks up in the final minute or so, though it is nothing compared to the fury delivered by their contemporaries, such as Slayer or Bathory. This isn't a bad song. It's far more memorable than the first two, while not coming close to the dark epic that preceded it.
Later versions of Apocalyptic Raids feature two songs from the Death Metal compilation, from Noise Records. The first is "Revelations of Doom", which kills most of the material on this E.P. It's faster, more energetic and has more of a metal feeling. This must have seemed pretty extreme on a compilation that also featured Helloween and Running Wild. It's not as raw as the version found on Satanic Rites, but none of the re-recorded songs are.
The last offering is a re-recorded version of "Messiah". The opening moments give the feeling if impending doom, before the song explodes. All of these songs were recorded in the same session, so it doesn't make a lot of sense that these last two were left off the official release. Both should have been present and, really, this song should have led off the album. Again, this isn't as raw as the version on Satanic Rites but it is, easily, the most energetic and metal song on this album. It holds pretty true to the original, and the few differences are made up for in some improvements in vocal delivery. Outside of "Triumph of Death", this is about as evil as Tom Warrior ever managed to sound.
Despite some of the songs falling flat due to songwriting, execution or production, Apocalyptic Raids is well worth your time just for the epic masterpiece "Triumph of Death", alone. It is even more worthwhile if you get the Brazilian version of the L.P. or the later CD re-issues as those include two more songs.
The opening moments of "The Third of the Storms (Evoked Damnation)" were a little bit of a disappointment for me, when I first heard this. I was expecting something with more of a raw edge to it. I'd later learn that the previous version of this song was more of what I was seeking. The sound here is a little too smooth and 'polished'. It has rather poor production (which doesn't bother me), but the sound is rather flat. The good thing is that Tom Warrior does a better job with the vocals. They are fairly low in the mix and remain somewhat indecipherable, which really works for him. The song is short and fast-paced, but it's not very energetic.
Next up is "Massacra", which is fast-paced but, once again, lacks that extra something. There is no dark atmosphere and it feels more like punk than metal, reminding me of GBH moreso than Venom. This is nothing more than a few minutes of mediocre songwriting.
Here is the moment where Hellhammer redeemed themselves and made their mark on black metal. "Triumph of Death" is the most epic composition to come from this trio and it is filled with a dark and tortured atmosphere. From the twisting guitar riffs that begin the song with an ominous tone to the absolutely tortured screams, this is a masterpiece. The screams and moans are, quite possibly, the sickest thing caught on tape at that point. The song continues to build up, with pounding drums that are heavy enough to crush your skull. The first verse conveys the grim feeling of this morbid track.
"When you have been down in your grave...alive,The vocal delivery is sick and tormented. The riff that follows this is very familiar, as it is later recycled on Morbid Tales. Earlier versions of this song utilized this riff at a faster pace, closer to how it was used by Celtic Frost. Another riff change is accompanied by distant moaning. As the song slows down, once again, another chilling scream murders your soul. This agonizing sound is enough to freeze your blood. The familiar riff returns, sounding a little out of place, but it works. The music is drenched in a feeling of doom and mortal despair and the vocal contributions of Mr. Fischer deserve a lot of credit for making this song as dark and morbid as it is. The song ends with the first verse being repeated as the vocals sound almost more insane than tormented, at this point. You feel the urge to take a razor and slice your veins until all you see is stained with crimson. Words cannot do justice to this classic song. Just the fact that Hellhammer was so intimidated by what they created here, to the point where they laid the band to rest, should say something for it. They knew that they could never again match the intensity or the dark feeling captured, here, so they gave up rather than try.
Your mind decays and you're the coffin's slave,
And when at midnight an uncanny bell tolls...,
Terrible noises, the dark graveyard calls"
The last song of the Apocalyptic Raids E.P. is "Horus/Aggressor". This one begins with a repetitive drum beat as the guitars fade in from the abyss. This brief intro fades back into nothingness as a new riff takes over. This is rather mid-paced, despite the rumbling double-bass, but has a little more energy than the first two songs. The pace picks up in the final minute or so, though it is nothing compared to the fury delivered by their contemporaries, such as Slayer or Bathory. This isn't a bad song. It's far more memorable than the first two, while not coming close to the dark epic that preceded it.
Later versions of Apocalyptic Raids feature two songs from the Death Metal compilation, from Noise Records. The first is "Revelations of Doom", which kills most of the material on this E.P. It's faster, more energetic and has more of a metal feeling. This must have seemed pretty extreme on a compilation that also featured Helloween and Running Wild. It's not as raw as the version found on Satanic Rites, but none of the re-recorded songs are.
The last offering is a re-recorded version of "Messiah". The opening moments give the feeling if impending doom, before the song explodes. All of these songs were recorded in the same session, so it doesn't make a lot of sense that these last two were left off the official release. Both should have been present and, really, this song should have led off the album. Again, this isn't as raw as the version on Satanic Rites but it is, easily, the most energetic and metal song on this album. It holds pretty true to the original, and the few differences are made up for in some improvements in vocal delivery. Outside of "Triumph of Death", this is about as evil as Tom Warrior ever managed to sound.
Despite some of the songs falling flat due to songwriting, execution or production, Apocalyptic Raids is well worth your time just for the epic masterpiece "Triumph of Death", alone. It is even more worthwhile if you get the Brazilian version of the L.P. or the later CD re-issues as those include two more songs.
(17 Apr. 2009)
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