LELAHELL is the brainchild of Algerian death metal veteran Roudouane "Lelahel" Aouameur. Originally a one man army in 2010, releasing an EP written, performed and recorded entirely by Lelahel himself, LELAHELL was joined by Slaveblaster on drums and Nehil on bass a year later - two solid musicians from the band BARBAROS. LELAHELL masterfully blends thrash, black metal and technical death metal, the first full length earning them associations with the likes of NILE and VADER. "Alif" further solidifies the bands commitment to brutality and features Hannes Grossman on session drums, most notably working with NECROPHAGIST and OBSCURA. The 41 minute all out assault also features Tom Geldschlager (ex-OBSCURA), Yacine M. (LITHAM) and Patrick Mameli (PESTILENCE) on guest guitars and bass. Throw in a mixing and mastering by the Wieslawski brothers (AZARATH, DECAPITATED, VADER) and "Alif" proves to be a veritable upgrade from the previous releases.

The album opens with a drum buildup and a chunky bass riff, not wasting any time to plow straight into the slam. "Paramnesia" is a non stop pummeling with groovy chugs and a chaotic tech death flair that raises the hair on the back of your neck. Plenty of blasts and skank beats make this a very powerful opener. You will have many Arabic melodies and scales stuck in your head after listening to this release and this is best exemplified on easily the most catchy song on the album "Ribat Essalem," fleshing out dizzying arabesque scales and a hypnotic chorus that will balance out the sheer brutality of this record. The pounding does not let up, with polyrhythms and groovy, technical palm muted riffage on "Adam the First." "The Fifth" contains more exotic flourishes and satisfying grooves, the blend of growls and screams matching the brutal tone quite well.

"InsirafMartyr" is where the Arabic folk really shines, a enchanting down tempo melody that is present in the backdrop of the entire song. "Parasits" is a quick beatdown that leads into the final track, "Impunity of the Mutants." A five minute emotional undertaking that sums up the obvious cultural undertones to the album. "Alif" is an extremely solid and important album that signals a new era for the Algerian kings, one of raw brutality and progressive flair.