Customer Reviews

Hellfire

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, ladies and gentlemen, as if it weren't already obvious, it's now official: Kjetil Haraldstad (a.k.a. Frost) is not a man. Not a normal man, at least - he's far too great for that - he's more like some kind of god (if he isn't one, then I don't know what he is!), and if there's a better drummer out there, mortals probably wouldn't survive listening to him.

Frost displays his talents throughout 1349's exhilarating new album, 2005's "Hellfire." He goes absolutely berserk on his trapkit, and continuously beats each drum into tiny pieces as he drives these eight tracks with his legendary "all blasting, all the time" approach. Needless to say, it's a truly astounding performance on Frost's part, and one that must be heard to be believed.

Meanwhile, guitarist Archaon unleashes a floodgate of scalding tremolo riffs and propulsive, Slayer-inspired leads, and vocalist Ravn spews forth his wicked lyrics with an ultra-evil, venomous, and abrasive (yet somewhat intelligible) rasp that's tailor made for making the listener's skin crawl. Make no mistake: 1349 are not a melodic or symphonic black metal band - they are real, unadulterated, and mercilessly brutal black metal, straight up! Every song oozes with exhilarating, palpable energy and grindcore-worthy ferocity that by the time the album is over, you'll swear you saw a puff of thick, black smoke coming from your C.D. player.

"I Am Abomination" motors full-speed ahead out of the starting gate. Archaon creates an ominous-sounding wall of searing guitar noise, but it's Frost's walloping, machine gun blast beats that's the main focal point here (in fact, his drumming is so fast on this song that he comes dangerously close to trampling the guitar lead.) The fairly melodic tremolo picking on the next track, "Nathicana," allows the music to breathe a bit, but the next track after that, "Sculptor of Flesh," is a scorching onslaught of savage, thrashed-up guitar shred and furious drum battery. Other notable tracks include "Celestial Deconstruction" and "To Rottendom," which (aside from Meshuggah's 2004 EP, "I"), boast some of the best drumming this writer has EVER heard; the somewhat restrained (but no less intense) sixth track, "From the Deeps" (which begins and ends with eerie, chanting voices, and also features a mini guitar solo); and the epic, entrancing title track that draws the album to a close.

In short, "Hellfire" is easily the best black metal album of 2005, and it's also doubtlessly one of the genre's finest, and most satisfying works since Mayhem's landmark "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" was released way back in 1994. "Hellfire" is a near-perfect example of what all pure black metal should sound like: Extremely evil, uncompromisingly intense and brutal, creepy to the bone, and hotter than all the fires in Hades combined. Thus, all self-respecting metalheads (including newcomers) should definitely make this disc apart of their collection as soon as possible. Just make sure you remember to douse your speakers with Holy Water after you're done listening.

As is consistent with most genres of metal, black metal tends to be highly polarizing. Some people, such as myself (but only as of recent, to be honest) find in black metal a subtle but well-crafted beauty and complexity that is lacking from most other genres of extreme music. Others feel black metal to be the lowest rung on the ladder, perhaps a step above nu-metal with its rampant vocal effects and trite synthesized harmonies. If the only `black' metal you know is Cradle of Filth, who at one time were top notch but are now like a bad carnival side show act, then it is easy to understand why black metal fairs so poorly in the public psyche. However, if you're a fan of death metal, melodic thrash, or grindcore, there are a number of black metal bands that you'll surely find pleasing. 1349 is one of them.

Their name is the year the plague hit Norway, and their music is just as ominous, destitute, and evil as their name suggests. "Hellfire," much like their previous release "Beyond the Apocalypse," is a blisteringly fast edition to the stripped down yet hauntingly beautiful catalogue of black metal bands such as Immortal, (old) Darkthrone, and (old) Emperor. The musicianship on "Hellfire" is staggeringly skillful. The drumming is both mind numbing and creative, and, like the guitars, never lets up. The songs are well written, an attribute that should not be overlooked in a genre of music so difficult for the average listener to approach. Even though the band never stops its assault, the listener is able to navigate through each song with little difficulty. Do not expect any orchestration such as one might expect on an Emperor album. Like I said, 1349 is stripped down to the bare essentials: buzz-saw guitars, near-constant blast beats, and demonic shouts and shrieks. Still, I maintain that through buried melodies and a haunting ambiance the band creates a unique sort of beauty, the type I feel black metal does so well. The beauty of despair, if you will.

The recording is thin, keeping in line with black metal tradition, but it is clear that serious effort was undertaken to yield a clear recording in which all instruments are audible and balanced. The drums walk a line between having a machine-like quality and a raw, organic feel that is made all the more dramatic by Frost's ridiculous, inhuman skin work. I don't know what the process of recording was like for this album, whether, like Vital Remains, the band pieced together each song, or, more traditionally, whether each instrument simply recorded their parts for each song, but I wouldn't be surprised if "Hellfire" was cut and pasted. If this is not the case, how Frost manages to keep such consistency and speed is beyond me.

If black metal is your thing, you simply must get this album. If you like grindcore, bands such as Pig Destroyer, Gadget, or Leng Tch'e, then this is probably still up your alley. While I have yet to listen to the album start to finish in one sitting, mostly because it's just too damn intense for that (or because I'm not intense enough), I have not been disappointed by any track on its own, and I rank this album as one of my favorites of 2005.

I grabbed 1349's "Hellfire" after seeing Tom G. of Celtic Frost sporting thier gear in some promo shots for Monotheist. I figure if the mastermind of Celtic Frost digs these guys they must be worth at least checking out.

And they are. Hellfire is raw, fast and black. Raun spits violent vocals over an onslaught of drums and guitar. The vocals are perfect for this genre or sub-genre or whatever the hell. 1349 are definitely not symphonic in any sense of the word. They are all about blasting.

Frost is ridiculous on the drums. I've listened to Satyricon (mostly the early stuff) and I never knew this guy could shred like this! Holy crap! Tons of blast beats.

This album is raw, but well produced. It's not muddy and the vocals are pretty clean, which is good because nothing kills an album like this faster than a muddy production job. On the other hand, some metal (especially black metal) can be over produced and "neutered". This isn't Trivium. Hellfire will definitely make you wanna hop in your car, grab your favorite axe or long sword and scream bloody death down the nearest interstate at about 100 miles an hour.


Standout tracks in my opinion are:

I am abomination
Nathicana
Sculptor of Flesh
Hellfire

All in all, an awesome disc. Tom G. does have good taste.

Is album is simply amazing. Frost leads the way on every song throwing drum patterns no normal human can creat. The guitars ring and speed along weaving tons of tremelo riffs and melodies surprisingly enough. well about as much melody as you are gonna get outta a black metal album. The production is awesome. Sounds like oldschool black metal accept louder and clear. Not like Dimmu or Cradle but more like the cold atmospheric Immortal or Marduk type recording. Dirty but nice. Every song kicks major but. I Am Abomination starts the disc off with a hellaious fury and actually really catchy and drags you in. Before you know it the song is other and the next song comes right in delivering just as much fury as before. This album doesnt get boring either.

This album smokes...upon first listen I was instantly reminded of Pig Destroyer, but definitely different than PD...I would say imagine if you combined PD, Immortal and Grimfist. An interesting combo to say the least, which is why I find it so appealing. I would call it balck metal if I had to label it, but with the speed of PD and intensity of Grimfist. Very cool and original...and since originality is so hard to find in extreme metal these days, it gets a solid 5 stars.

I feel that if i was to ever write a review on any album, of all albums, it would have to be this one.

Black Metal is hard to find in my town, hell its hard to find in the citys located 60 miles away from our town. I looked at my cd collection the other day and noticed i had every dimmu borgir cd... i dont even really think Dimmu Borgir is a band worth spending that much time on. It was just, In most cases, all i could find on those occasions in a cd store looking for black metal bands.

One day, at a Best Buy in St Louis, I walk by and see this cd, 1349 - HELLFIRE, Ive heard of these guys before... When was it? Some drunk at a Goatwhore concert, singer of a local black metal band, was raving on and on about how This cd was completely unbeatable. "Album of the year... I havent bought a single cd in months cause theres no reason to, I have all i need"

This was something i was obviusly missing out on, I bounced a check for this cd, and i still would have paid more.

With no knowledge of 1349, i get to some heavy celebratory drinking (on a 45 minute drive back home.. im wreckless) flipping through the booklet, over and over.. IVE GOT TO GET HOME TO LISTEN TO THIS.

I get home, stumble out of the car and am greeted by some friends i (guess) am suppose to party with, luckly i have some new music to get black out drunk to. I warn my friends that i am about what im about to put in (they dont listen to black metal) They dont care

The Cd spins, The Blank Noise....HELLFIRE! an opening riff that leads to nothing but the thoughts of engulfing flames, and this happens for 8 tracks. My friends spoke but i heard nothing, I dont remember enteracting with them but if i did, it was that of a puppet cause my sole concentration was busy being beaten, arsoned, and urinated on. At The Time, it was the most chaotic, evil, and outstandingly fantastic thing ive ever heard.. at some points it was almost too much for me, I had to mak emyself stop listening to it, I was drinking 1843 and listening to 1349, day after day, my life was not going to last much longer if i carried on this way, that or i would embody satan himself and break free of my fleshey shell.

This album is from beggining to end fantastic, it has set new records and standards for everything i ever listen to or every even concider. This is how its done, this is how black metal is suppose to sound, Nasty, Cruel, Violent, Chaotic, Terrifying, There is no "Almost Evil" You either Rape it or leave it alone and this cd is Ear Sodomy (those are all good things by the way) I recommend this Album to all things, everyone, and everywhere, and if it doesnt suite you, make a bleach and glass shard martini and swollow it all

This album is simply amazing. I was really impressed with Frost's drumming on the album. Certainly he is one of the best, if not the best, drummers in the world. The great production quality evident within the album, moreover, allowed for an instrumental balance to be achieved. In short, this is an exceptionally good cd that merits being placed in any metal collection.

Those that still lament the demise of Mayhem should have found a suitable replacement by now in the form of 1349. This is the closest it gets to controlled Black Metal barbarism. Call it music from hell, or symphonies to scare your neighbors with. And once again, at least in my opinion, the brilliant proficiency of Frost's inhuman drumming steals the show here. Hellfire continues spreading the fires initially started by their Liberation LP, and it seems now that the songwriting has become more professional, with the songs having a more focused feel and sounding tighter but never becoming accessible to the friendly ear. The production is perfect for the album; it makes the songs sound dirty and extremely raw. Everything about this release is right. For the ultimate expression of musical extremism you can't go wrong with 1349.

Man I just had my first listend to these guys with this album. I can't believe the musicianship here. Its so fast and yet such good quality black metal. If you are a black metal fan you must buy.
HAIL SATAN

Well when I first was recommended this album upon first hearing I didn't no what to think rather have an opinion it was way too much. I felt like I was on fire and my body was shacking afterward. Then, After listener to it about 50 times Frost drumming begins to slow down and the progressive old school Norwegian style riffs began to show and begin to explode in the mind. I began to hear Ravn lyrics, I first had to comprehend the music before I even understand a word coming from that psychos mouth.

I seen them live in a small show and they put on the best grudge, torturous Bloody festival I could ever imagine. I thought all their songs sounded the same on CD upon first listen but at the show I could distinctively read the guitars and bass and drumming. Picking out each particular song even tough they didn't stop to even say hi, they played and left..... AND they didn't play with Frost? There is a roady drummer just as good, is that possible?


They came out, split the crowd in half as a five piece, skinny tall white dead Norwegian metal gods splitting an ocean. They mostly played the whole HELLFIRE album because it is by far more superior than Beyond the apocalypse. Every song was a masterpiece. I really appreciated their musicianship and understood the black metal scene to the roots, no goat heads on sticks like Gorgoroth, nothing epic like Emperor or Dimmu Borgir that use filler noise,they took the stage, no effects, samples, synthesizers/keyboards like the other of early black metal, it is almost progressive speed blackened death metal.

They still had the ten inch spikes on their boots and spikes on their shoulders with black and white face paint smeared with blood shadowed each member wearing shackles and leather Bondage level, rather fashionable and that is the standard seemed . Not over board like cradle of filth. Pure raw stuff that no one can match, the point you create an alter ego for music live shows, its a way to lift themselves to god status. The guitarist was playing with a cuff spike on and didn't destroy the guitar he destroyed the audience. If you ever wonder if a band sound different live than on there CD, it's because of the cut and paste and powder coating they put each song when they mix it together.

1349 is one of few bands that sound better live than on disc, because of production quality of their recordings, old school style. This was a more Darkthrone or early Mayhem or Satyricon on crack. NO fluff just blood and guts. They use their instruments to create that melodic resonance through the speed and fast riff combination mixing and peeking at the same time time a drum onslaught began. perfect timing they were flawless and they made it look easy that that the fun part. Take a side project, try to make an album that has as much noise as possible and still able to get the feel for it. This is NEW Black metal reinvented using old basics and adding a technical but straight forward side, forward I mean Forward straight. It doesn't stop until FROM THE DEEPS you get a little break but other than that its pure adrenaline and could require a conductor to orchestrate.

A black metal fan might not appreciate this album because it take 10 listens to even like but once you figured it out its an addiction. 1349 is by far the best black metal band on the planet right now! If you want something extreme but different but also classic then HELLFIRE is the album that will either get you hooked on black metal or make you will hate it because its too much for some week generic metal folks out there that still worship Pantera and listen to the radio go back and eat it, you are missing out suckers because you don't know what you want besides recycled crap. I am ABOMINATION. Slaves to the slaughter.

By far the most intense song is Celestial Devastation, the song with thee best finale is TO ROTTENDOM ( 10,000 mountains). Like its a real place or something, well now its on the map. The title track is a outro for the ages probably the beat 13minutes and 49 seconds ever spent. Buy this album NOW, heck buy three and give them out as gifts to friends.

peace- THe MAd ScieNtisT