Picture this: sitting in front of my PC 3-4 years ago, I was browsing through the Internet and reading the well-known web pages about news & updates regarding our music. Imagine my surprise and awe when I saw that Martin Van Drunen of ASPHYX (and of PESTILENCE of course) along with Paul Baayens and Stephan Gebedi of THANATOS were about to form a new band. I was like "Hell yeah, those are some great news!" And it got even better when they announce the name, HAIL OF BULLETS. It was like an omen, that band would kick some serious ass! And thy was done. Their first album ("Of Frost And War") was a true death metal masterpiece. So, after an E.P. in 2009 ("Warsaw Rising") here we deal with the band's second album entitled "On Divine Winds".

Admit it! More or less by the name of the band you know what to except both in terms of music as well as in lyrics. If BOLT THROWER were (and still are as they still do reign supreme!) the master of war in death metal music then HAIL OF BULLETS surely are the greatest ones (and only band perhaps) to fill in that spot when the English warriors decide to quit. Both their first album and "On Divine Winds" deal with lyrical themes that have to do with war matters about certain occasions and countries in the modern world's history. The album we are talking about here deals with the war of Japan and the United States that happened during the second World War, most commonly known as the war of Pearl Harbor.

But what do we have to deal with here concerning the musical part? Well... Simple, plain, destructive death metal the way it was played by band such as AUTOPSY, MASSACRE, BOLT THROWER, some ASPHYX (of course!), early DEATH and some CELTIC FROST parts here and there. Among with some "battle" samples and intros which fully is a plus to the whole feeling of the records and its theme. Old school death metal in simple words. You can find anything that you may expect from that kind of records here. Intense war rhythm drumming, great guitar works (Paul and Stephan are on a winning streak here from track to track!) some serious heavy ass rhythm section and of course the great voice which listens to the name Martin Van Drunen which doesn't exactly sing the lyrics but more or less spits them in a way that those chills on your spine from the whole atmosphere of the album tend to a brutal feeling of beating up all of you enemies. Aaaaaaargh, it feels like the good ol' days when death metal (and metal in generally) was all about the music and not fancy add-ons, chicks, keys and so on. Onwards to battle lads!

And I am not sure if this is the case or not, but thanks to HAIL OF BULLETS, good old death metal and ASPHYX returned. This should not in any case underestimate the work of the band as it is something that our music really needed. Anyway... I have said it before in previous reviews, I will say it again now: never judge a record by its cover or name. But again in this case this rule doesn't apply. See it for your own, listen to the music and prepare yourselves for some serious ear bleeding. Oh, and those who missed them last time in their gig in Athens, next time they visit is make sure you ARE there. In conclusion, this album may not that be that good as "Of Frost And War" or "Warsaw Rising" E.P. but it still is a very good album for those who feel that something like that has to be heard since the last studio album of BOLT THROWER for example. You get the point more or less, don't you?

PS: Thumbs up to Martin Van Drunen for wearing a SUICIDAL ANGELS t-shirt while walking around the beer garden at this year's edition of "Summer Breeze" festival.