Aussie black metal
Black metal is not something that Australia is well known for. With only a couple of bands coming to mind in Destroyer 666 and Astriaal, Hellspawn are a newcomer to the scene assembled by drummer-come-vocalist Matt Skitz Sanders who is more well known for his work with his former band, Melbourne-based Damaged.
Utilizing keyboards to create an atmosphere reminiscent to what Nocturnus were doing back in 1990 with their CD The Key (particularly on the opener Carnal Desires), the songs are mostly written in a way that allows all elements to be heard clearly within the final mix. At times brutally fast, it is amazingly contrasted with melodic sections such as the outro to the closing track Realm Of The Black Angels. Some clichéd anti-Christian lyrics are to be expected with this form of metal, and this is no exception.
Although not a fan of black metal, I found myself not hating this album. Maybe it's because of the familiarities with older death metal bands that I've been listening to for some time. For fans of black metal however, it's definitely worth a listen.
(Rotten Records/Shock)
