#friendsofhell — Public Fediverse posts

Entrails – Grip of Ancient Evil Review

By Saunders

Rooted in the fertile graveyard turf of the Swedeath golden years, veterans Entrails occupy an interesting place in the revivalist old school Swedish death metal scene. Originally conceived in 1990 by sole original member Jimmy Lundqvist, the band lay dormant until Lundqvist resurrected the outfit with new bandmates in tow, unleashing a couple of long-gestating demos before eventually releasing their impressive debut Tales from the Morgue in 2010. Entrails started out strongly, backing up the debut with gnarled, grisly platters of throwback Swedeath goodness, courtesy of 2011’s The Tomb Awaits, and 2013’s Raging Death. A solid, if unremarkable holding pattern largely ensued during the intervening years, the band not dropping the ball, yet failing to rise to the loftier standards of their early work. Still, when done well, old school death of the Swedish variety is like metal comfort food, and these dudes are consistently reliable. Can eighth opus Grip of Ancient Evil shake off the rust and reinvigorate Entrails to their potent glory days?

Listeners should not expect any drastic reinvention or innovation from these meat & taters brawlers. Influences are tattered and worn, as Grip of Ancient Evil sets the buzzsawing tone early in the piece, essentially a modern continuation of the classic Swedeath sound inspired by scene legends, Grave, Dismember and Entombed. Entrails’ steadfast dedication to their old timey craft has served them well; however, the dreaded Law of Diminishing Returns threatens to derail their reliable track record deep into their career. After an unnecessary though obligatory scene-setting opener, “Untreatable Decay” kicks the album in proper. The song forms the blueprint of the Entrails sound, unleashing thunderous rhythms, tasty leads, and HM-2 armored riffage to bludgeoning effect.

Chunky tones are on point, riffs suitably beefy, while the mix of tempo shifts, thumping grooves, and requisite spooky, horror-themed atmospheres cast a familiar shadow across the album. New vocalist Julian Bellenox (Nazghor, Morphetik) fits the part, providing an authoritatively punchy rhythmic point of difference. His hoarse, throaty growls lend a brutal edge and thickness to the already meaty material. Otherwise, it is largely business as usual in the Entrails camp. The album’s darker, nastier vibes, infectious hooks, and more direct, punchy attack breathe welcome life into this long-standing, rotting entity. Grip of Ancient Evil features many of the expected traits of the classic Swedeath style; however, Entrails sound reinvigorated and urgent. Aptly titled “Skin ’em All” rips you a new one, relentlessly tearing through thrashy soundscapes, headbangable grooves, and gruesome, Bloodbath-esque terrain. Other noteworthy prime cuts include the doom-laden, dynamic shifts and anthemic hooks of “Hunt in the Shadows,” rugged, leaden riffage and punishing grooves on “Fed to the Dead,” and thrashing, urgent pummel of “Wings of Death.”

Not everything is safe and predictable. Barnstorming closer “Consumed by Insects” shifts surprisingly into a brief acoustic break, an odd though refreshing twist. Meanwhile, guest vocalist Per “Hellbutcher” Gustavsson (Friends of Hell, Nifelheim) lends a feral, blackened edge to the brooding “Inner Demon.” Performances are dependably solid from a line-up that remains fairly steady amongst the regular line-up upheavals plaguing the band. Bellenox is a refreshing addition, while band leader Lundqvist remains the pivotal focal point and songwriting chief, unleashing an extra beefy collection of buzzsaw riffs and some genuinely catchy death metal anthems. Packing a hefty wallop, the boisterous rhythms of Arvid Borg (drums) and Benjamin Andersson (bass) form a sturdy rhythmic backbone, coupled with a dynamic, crisp, though appropriately burly production, A solidly engaging listen, featuring a handful of cut above tunes, Grip of Ancient Evil remains a relatively safe listen, a step up from the previous album, but unable to match the band’s superior early work. Meanwhile, extra grime to dirty up their rather sanitary sound profile may have created a rustier edge and grittier sound.

Locking tightly into the confines of their established sound, Entrails refuse to budge from their old school ethos. While a predictability permeates each release, Grip of Ancient Evil features a little more pep and energy, ravenous hooks, and chunky, brutal edge to please longtime listeners and potentially reel in some new devotees. Nothing mind-blowing here, but Entrails reaffirm their status as an endearing, reliable force in the nostalgic old school Swedeath market, with an addictive, bone-crushing collection of grisly gems.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Hammerheart Records
Websites: entrails666.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/entrails666
Releases Worldwide: July 18th, 2025

#2025 #30 #Bloodbath #DeathMetal #Dismember #Entrails #FriendsOfHell #Grave #GripOfAncientEvil #HammerheartRecords #Morphetik #Nazghor #Nifelheim #OldSchoolDeathMetal #Review #Reviews #SwedishMetal

Hellbutcher – Hellbutcher Review

By GardensTale

In the 90’s, Nifelheim was a significant player in the burgeoning Swedish black metal scene, keeping a torch lit for the old school thrash-led sound. The band was founded by two brothers, who employed the stage names Tyrant and Hellbutcher, with the latter taking vocal and frontman duty. Though Nifelheim’s on apparently permanent hiatus, Hellbutcher hasn’t been so idle, recently lending his talents to Friends of Hell and cruising around with Dead Kosmonaut a few years ago. But it’s clear the man is tired of messing around. His new band is eponymous, the logo looks like a logical continuation of Nifelheim’s, and the clown car of highly talented and respected musicians could be called a supergroup if it weren’t so laser-focused on the frontman. Necrophiliac of Mordant on guitars, Eld of Gaahl’s Wyrd, Aeternus and others on bass, long time Unleashed member and Dead Kosmonaut buddy Fredrik Folkare on guitars, and none other than Martin Axenrot1 (Bloodbath, Opeth, Witchery and others) behind the kit. But supergroups have a way of disappointing; does Hellbutcher avoid the curse by not calling itself one?

And how! Hellbutcher and friends have crafted an absolute spitfire of an album, a black-thrash masterclass that puts a brick on the gas pedal of the Devil’s personal hellfire-powered chariot. Once the heroic intro of “The Sword of Wrath” finishes, a cavalcade of sharp riffs bursts forth like an unleashed pack of wolves with rocket boosters strapped to their backs, and they remain hungry and fuelled for the entire runtime of Hellbutcher. Hellbutcher leads the charge, of course, and his raw, raspy scream strikes the perfect balance between evil and demented yet coherent and intelligible. The Axe does what the Axe does best; beating an incredibly diverse array of playstyles out of his kit, with dynamics and precision to spare, whether it’s straight blasting or flitting from rolls to gallops to triplets. The superb bass gets far more room than your average black metal band is willing to offer, and the guitar duo weaves an ongoing tapestry of kickass riffs.

Two things stand out from Hellbutcher. One, the band is clearly having an absolute blast. The sense of fun is infectious, from the theatrical camp of the vocals to the out of control riff-fests. “Perdition” changes its pacing with alarming irregularity and “Hordes of the Horned God” sounds like Maiden possessed by demons, both exemplifying the ‘fuck it, let’s ball’ attitude. And two, this line-up sounds tighter than most bands with a half-dozen albums under their belt. All the musicians here being long-time professionals, a number of whom have played together before, is of course a big boon. But as any sports fan who’s seen a team of all-stars falter on the field knows, synergy can be a fickle bitch.

The electrifying wild energy of the front half doesn’t quite make it into the back, however. It loses a bit of the unpredictability, especially on “Death’s Rider” and “Possessed by the Devil’s Flames.” The latter even re-uses the chorus structure of the superior “Perdition,” furthering the nagging ‘yes, it’s great, but.’ Don’t get me wrong; even the back half sounds vastly superior to most black thrash acts today. “Satan’s Power” is a rollercoaster that draws from across the entire metal spectrum, and despite the predictability, I love the black ‘n roll rhythms of “Death’s Rider.” The production is spot-on as well, sporting a warm yet vicious master and excellent mix.

Hellbutcher’s Hellbutcher has created a gobsmacking debut with Hellbutcher. Melodic, dynamic, snappy, lean and mean, this is what classic black thrash is supposed to sound like. It’s a rambunctious ride of gleeful, campy evil that seems to prioritize fun above all else, yet is every bit as tight as a high-strung tech death album. If you feel disappointed at the score below, know that this was right up to the edge of the big four-oh, held back only by a slight watering down in the second half, and I might still regret it later. Either way, I certainly cannot wait for what Hellbutcher and his pals get up to for Hellbutcher 2: The Butchering.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: hellbutcherband.bandcamp.com | hellbutcher.com | facebook.com/hellbutcherband
Releases Worldwide: May 31st, 2024

#2024 #35 #Aeternus #BlackMetal #Bloodbath #DeadKosmonaut #FriendsOfHell #GaahlsWYRD #Hellbutcher #IronMaiden #May24 #MetalBladeRecords #Mordant #Nifelheim #Opeth #Review #Reviews #SwedishMetal #ThrashMetal #Unleashed #Witchery

Hellbutcher – Hellbutcher Review

By GardensTale

In the 90’s, Nifelheim was a significant player in the burgeoning Swedish black metal scene, keeping a torch lit for the old school thrash-led sound. The band was founded by two brothers, who employed the stage names Tyrant and Hellbutcher, with the latter taking vocal and frontman duty. Though Nifelheim’s on apparently permanent hiatus, Hellbutcher hasn’t been so idle, recently lending his talents to Friends of Hell and cruising around with Dead Kosmonaut a few years ago. But it’s clear the man is tired of messing around. His new band is eponymous, the logo looks like a logical continuation of Nifelheim’s, and the clown car of highly talented and respected musicians could be called a supergroup if it weren’t so laser-focused on the frontman. Necrophiliac of Mordant on guitars, Eld of Gaahl’s Wyrd, Aeternus and others on bass, long time Unleashed member and Dead Kosmonaut buddy Fredrik Folkare on guitars, and none other than Martin Axenrot1 (Bloodbath, Opeth, Witchery and others) behind the kit. But supergroups have a way of disappointing; does Hellbutcher avoid the curse by not calling itself one?

And how! Hellbutcher and friends have crafted an absolute spitfire of an album, a black-thrash masterclass that puts a brick on the gas pedal of the Devil’s personal hellfire-powered chariot. Once the heroic intro of “The Sword of Wrath” finishes, a cavalcade of sharp riffs bursts forth like an unleashed pack of wolves with rocket boosters strapped to their backs, and they remain hungry and fuelled for the entire runtime of Hellbutcher. Hellbutcher leads the charge, of course, and his raw, raspy scream strikes the perfect balance between evil and demented yet coherent and intelligible. The Axe does what the Axe does best; beating an incredibly diverse array of playstyles out of his kit, with dynamics and precision to spare, whether it’s straight blasting or flitting from rolls to gallops to triplets. The superb bass gets far more room than your average black metal band is willing to offer, and the guitar duo weaves an ongoing tapestry of kickass riffs.

Two things stand out from Hellbutcher. One, the band is clearly having an absolute blast. The sense of fun is infectious, from the theatrical camp of the vocals to the out of control riff-fests. “Perdition” changes its pacing with alarming irregularity and “Hordes of the Horned God” sounds like Maiden possessed by demons, both exemplifying the ‘fuck it, let’s ball’ attitude. And two, this line-up sounds tighter than most bands with a half-dozen albums under their belt. All the musicians here being long-time professionals, a number of whom have played together before, is of course a big boon. But as any sports fan who’s seen a team of all-stars falter on the field knows, synergy can be a fickle bitch.

The electrifying wild energy of the front half doesn’t quite make it into the back, however. It loses a bit of the unpredictability, especially on “Death’s Rider” and “Possessed by the Devil’s Flames.” The latter even re-uses the chorus structure of the superior “Perdition,” furthering the nagging ‘yes, it’s great, but.’ Don’t get me wrong; even the back half sounds vastly superior to most black thrash acts today. “Satan’s Power” is a rollercoaster that draws from across the entire metal spectrum, and despite the predictability, I love the black ‘n roll rhythms of “Death’s Rider.” The production is spot-on as well, sporting a warm yet vicious master and excellent mix.

Hellbutcher’s Hellbutcher has created a gobsmacking debut with Hellbutcher. Melodic, dynamic, snappy, lean and mean, this is what classic black thrash is supposed to sound like. It’s a rambunctious ride of gleeful, campy evil that seems to prioritize fun above all else, yet is every bit as tight as a high-strung tech death album. If you feel disappointed at the score below, know that this was right up to the edge of the big four-oh, held back only by a slight watering down in the second half, and I might still regret it later. Either way, I certainly cannot wait for what Hellbutcher and his pals get up to for Hellbutcher 2: The Butchering.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: hellbutcherband.bandcamp.com | hellbutcher.com | facebook.com/hellbutcherband
Releases Worldwide: May 31st, 2024

#2024 #35 #Aeternus #BlackMetal #Bloodbath #DeadKosmonaut #FriendsOfHell #GaahlsWYRD #Hellbutcher #IronMaiden #May24 #MetalBladeRecords #Mordant #Nifelheim #Opeth #Review #Reviews #SwedishMetal #ThrashMetal #Unleashed #Witchery