This is another release from High Roller Records that is already available in our beloved vinyl format. HELLKOMMANDER is an old school Death/Black Metal band that hails from Brazil with one more release under its belt in the form of a two-track demo. Well, the Black Metal tag is here to justify the distinct CELTIC FROST influences which dominate Death to My Enemies. So, while Tom Warrior has sealed the tomb holding CELTIC FROST the Brazilian act comes to reminds us of the Swiss band's glory days.
First of all, I have to clear out that I did not feel like listening to a copycat band despite the striking resemblances. The songs follow a mid-to-slow tempo pattern with repetitive rhythms, down-tuned riffs and Tom Warrior-esque vocals. As it happens in similar cases the BLACK SABBATH shadow lurks in every corner keeping strong the underlying Doom atmosphere that leaves no room to breathe. Indeed, HELLKOMMANDER have embedded an evil feeling in their music through the simple song structure, the dirty sound production and the solid as hell rhythm section. The absence of guitar solos (there might be one or two in the entire album) combined with the primitive Black Metal oriented guitars might ring the 'no diversity' alarm but this can be neglected due to the overwhelming dark feeling. Despite the fact that HELLKOMMANDER exists since 2005 sound 100% solid and totally determined to play this specific music genre without trying to polish it or modernize by adding anything strange to this Metal idiom. The bass guitar sound has the lion's share in HELLKOMMANDER's music bringing to mind the primitive sound of the early VENOM days where the term 'sound production' was science fiction. And this means a heart old school sound that simply cannot leave anyone untouched.
So, if you are fine with the dull sound production, the repetitive guitar rhythms, the one-dimensional vocals and you just miss bands like CELTIC FROST, BATHORY, VENOM and -of course- HELLHAMMER then Death To My Enemies is here for you. Just keep in mind that it is also available in vinyl (the splatter red/black version kicks major Christian ass!). Let me press the repeat button to listen one more time to Dog From Hell...