Customer Reviews

Apocalyptic Raids

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First thing's first: Forget a second about labels like "metal," "punk," "thrash," and "hardcore," because this release has a lot of things in common with all of them.

There really is a continuum of bands, from "Overkill"-era MOTORHEAD, to pre-1986 DISCHARGE, to AMEBIX, on through VENOM [1st two albums], Finland's BASTARDS and RIISTETYT, and maybe even including the first MINOR THREAT 7" EP, that this release could easily fit into. It's simple, raw, primitive, buzzsaw guitar thrash. Anyone who likes any of the bands I just mentioned would like this.

Having said that, HELLHAMER's "Apocalyptic Raids" is squarely more on the VENOM, MAYHEM, and NWOBHM side of the fence than anywhere else [if only because that's where they themselves chose to be!]. Though sonically I find a lot in common with hardcore punk a la DISCHARGE, lyrically and atmospherically there's some evil Satanic stuff going on here, lending it a "dark Satanic" feel [again, like earliest VENOM] instead of a "society is f-----" sort of darkness embodied by DISCHARGE-ian d-beat bands.

Folks into modern crustcore and d-beat -- you know, bands like [early] NEUROSIS, RORSCHACH, MISERY, WARCRY, INEPSY, SEVERED HEAD OF STATE -- would surely like this. In fact, there is a vibe on this release that reminds me more of that sort of thing than of modern death metal, which has grown extremely technical and nowadays incorporates vocal styles that are a bit different from what HELLHAMMER have to offer here. Yet HELLHAMMER are still one of the granddads of death metal, its members having gone on to CELTIC FROST.

Some reviews have remarked that the songs are horrible, the guitar playing is bad, and that sort of thing. Compared to what, though? Compared to any of the bands I mentioned above [VENOM's 1st album, early DISCHARGE], the musicianship is right on par: crunchy bar chords sliding up and down the fret board, few if any solos, no intricate noodling -- sheer, blunt impact. The songs are simple, but in my book that's a bonus. It's hard-charged, over the top rock and roll. There's not any slick over-production; in that sense, it's a lot like early BLACK FLAG or early DC hardcore like DEADLINE. One lone guitar turned all the way up, with a really mean and dirty sound, galloping along to a rapid-fire drum pattern, with gruff VENOM-esque vocals. I like it!

Songs like "Horus/Agressor" and "Messiah" are some of the best 80's thrash songs around.

Behold Tom G. Warrior's excellent beginning into the metal world.Apocalyptic Raids is full of simple but effective guitar riffs,Tom's angry demon vocals,and most of all the awesome dungeon atmosphere this album permeates.This sounds relatively tame next to bands like Anaal Nathrakh etc...but in its day it was the heaviest stuff around.The silly satanic imagery provides a definite comic element to Hellhammer,just as it did with Venom and Bathory.The music is generally fast, but sometimes slows down into an almost doom tempo for variety,which sounds great.Songs like "Messiah","Massacra",and "Horus/Agressor" are brutal,primitive thrash metal at its best.Highly recommended to those who want to seek the roots of extreme metal.

I gave this album 5 stars because it really is a classic. Obviously it is not million-dollar production - no early 1980's metal was (not even Mettalica's "Kill 'em all"). And it may be difficult for people to appreciate now, but at the time it was released it was an incredibly bold and assertive vision, and it truly gives an idea of the types of music that eventually formed what we now recognize as pure and classic thrash metal. Here Warrior and Ain show the seed of creative vision that eveitually led to Celtic Frost. For me, the album culminates in the heart-stopping Triumph of Death - a "ballad" that I still enjoy playing for the neighbors upon occasion.

Finally! This seminal band, Made up of Tom Warrior, Martin Ain, and Bruce Day, are back in release after a long stretch on moratorium. What can I say? This music is designed to get your blood flowing, your heart racing, and your mind full of unsavory thoughts. The band (with the hokey monikers Satanic Slaughter, Slayed Necros, and Denial Fiend) blazes through these 6 songs like 3 men possessed by demons.

Hellhammer were one of the first of the death/thrash bands, and their image and attitude helped to shape that of black metal in the late `80's and `90's. Give a listen to DarkThrone, Mayhem, or the first Emperor demos and you'll definitely hear Hellhammer's influence.

If you're a fan of metal or just curious about it, pick this one up. You won't be sorry.

Well, people know there were Venom, Motorhead, Angel Witch, Mercyful Fate , but serious thrash and death began when these 3 excited Venomaniacs from Switzerland started Hellhammer with (in a way) a punk spirit (do it yourself way of life). It wasn't perfect, but the ugliness and raw side of their heavy metal, in a way, opened the gate to death metal and also the second wave of black metal. If you want to understand Obituary, Possessed, early Mayhem, Necrophagia, Morbid Angel and so on, start here with this cult release!!!!!

Lousy engineering, terrible guitar playing, lugubrious and inane netherworldly themes. Yet somehow, Hellhammer's tin-can guitar crunching, sophomoric lyrics delivered in the form of death grunts, and garage drum beats manage to rivet you. There's something truly catchy and addictive about the simple, garage-band songs from the grave - you can't get it out of your system. It's the death metal evil twin of Louie Louie: you don't want to call it genius because you know it's so god-awful bad - but how else can one describe something so horribly simple being so delicious? Like the Russian movie says, "like all acts of genius, it's simple." Truly one of the most delightful brainrot ridiculous metal albums of all time. You will love it much more than you hate yourself and question your intellect because you love it.

I give Hellhammer 5 stars not because the music they made is great. I give them 5 stars because they helped kick-start a musical revolution of extreme metal yet to come. Hellhammer's music as collected here is really nothing special. It's raw and evil and dark and brutal, certainly. And it is all very good. But not what I'd call great. But thats not the point. The point is, Hellhammer paved the way for great bands to follow in their footsteps and to expand and reason the basic vocabulary laid down here. You hear Hellhammer's vast influence even today in every great extreme metal band. Remember, Hellhammer was a very underground act in their time. There were equally influential underground bands back then, but that doesn't take away from what Hellhammer accomplished in an astonishingly brief lifespan. Consider the early-mid '80's, when Hellhammer roamed and pillaged the metal landscape, and you'll understand. This is an essential cd, and very worthwhile. But don't buy it expecting brilliance. Hellhammer was all about youthful brutality.

Originally released as a four song EP in 1984. As most of you know, Hellhammer is Celtic Frost's mainman Tom Warrior's side project. I'm hearing this effort for the first time. Couldn't get enough of "The Third Of The Storms" or the awesome head-banging "Triumph Of Death". With this reissue, you get two added bonus cuts - "Revelations Of Doom" and "Messiah". All the more reason to purchase this title. Any old school Frost fans that haven't had the pleasure are sure to eat this material up. Recommended.

Apocalyptic Raids album was the logic base were Thomas Gabriel Fisher and Martin Erick Ain had to develop the later Celtic Frost, cornerstone of Death Metal.
Hellhammer were based on Black Metal very in the mood of Venom and some Motorheadesque influence, lyrics were honestly a little immature but the attitude is there at 100%.
The sound is furious, lyrics kinda epic poetry, and the voice of Fischer is smashing, Ain bass is also very dense, hellhammer was the prelude something big were about to happen.

HM

Many an extreme Metal fan would post a 5-star review right away to "Apocalyptic Raids", the one and only Hellhammer release. It's "classic" status might be deserved, but it does get in the way of trying a fresh look toward one of defining albums of Death/Black Metal history.

To the average music fan, this EP is an unnerving listen. Not only because of it's scary cover art and it's dark, primevil music. Sloppy musicianship, muddy production values and sophomoric "evil" alter-egos ("Slayed Necros"? "Satanic Slaughter"?) could also be a turn-off. But that's the beside the point. This was (and still is) underground music, the opposite of the slick million-dollar production common to some eighties cock-rock band (Poison? Mötley Crüe?).

Such brave and brute musicianship will always open up new paths, news avenues to explore. Take "Triumph of Death", for example. Warrior's chromatic trills, mixed in with Ain's gurgling screams and the pounding drums of "Denial Fiend" (Bruce Day) makes for a truly mindblowing experience. The intro to "Agressor" ("Horus") is another example. In it, the guitars clash in a way that reminds me of the dissonance employed by some 20th century classical composers. György Ligeti and Krzysztof Penderecki come to mind.

Last but not least: I wholly agree to what another reviewer (Oliver Sheppard) did, pointing out the similarities between this and early 1980s Hardcore Punk. "Messiah" does remind me of Black Flag's "Slip It In". This is an amazing synchronicity, though, considering that Hellhammer's music background was totally made up of Hard Rock/NWOBHM bands: Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Raven and Venom. No wonder that Hellhammer's brutish Metal went on to be an influence to the likes of Doom (Crust Punk) and Napalm Death (Grindcore).

I don't like making review conclusions, but I'll tell this much: whatever your background - be it Metal, Punk, Noise or Industrial - give this a try. Listen hard, and you won't regret it.