Originally out of Mexico in 2010, HELLNITE, the band, or rather one man band-Paolo Belmar, have relocated to Canada and just about to release his atmospheric-apocalyptic debut in "Midnight Terrors".  This multi-instrumentalist has the potential and the fire-power to create an interesting assault of music.  On this release however, HELLNITE does achieve a decent all out affair of skilled thrash-metal.  It will not break and new ground but it will lay out a hopeful blueprint to build on, it would be near-perfect except for a few niggles.

After the unsteady but interesting opener "Projection", HELLNITE detonate fully with "Phantom Force".  A glorious song of riffs, more based on the NWOBHM than modern thrash-based artists.  The vocals may lack a slice of passion, and that is my real point of contention, instead of being sung it sounds more like they are being read as if part of a demonic speech.  Still it rocks with enough intensity that outweighs the down-points.

The layers of intensity continue with "Spirits Prevail" and "Beasts From The Deep", the titles are slightly tongue-in-cheek in places, but the sound certainly is not.  Perhaps debut nerves are at play here,  Paolo Belmar certainly has the musicianship and skill, but perhaps a back seat when it comes to vocals would give the material a better depth.

That to one side there still is a lot to enjoy here, "Thrash of The Living Dead" is certainly a damn fine song, crafted gracefully.  Even the title track-"Midnight Terror" which is perhaps my personal favorite track is a wholesome, untamed beast.-"In the night darker than black, the zombies start to attack".  There are tracks that you can imagine being ignited on stage and how magnificent they would sound, especially in "Darker Than Black".  The use of different tempo riffs within the tracks is one of the unique selling points here, similar to what Tony Iommi started back in the day, when skillfully played has a maximum impact of pleasure, and that is exactly the case throughout "Midnight Terrors".

While enjoyable there is weak-points, not musically however, the compositions are somewhat repetitive but strong, it just falls down again in the vocals.  However, do not be completely put off though "Midnight Terrors" while not outstanding in its own right, is a steady debut that displays the grass-roots of what is to come.