Huddersfield Thrashers Evile is back with ‘Hell Unleashed’. This marks the bands first studio album in 8 years and fans have been chomping at the bit for the band to release new music. The title track of the record has already managed to garner over 170,000 streams on Spotify alone. I cannot wait to jump into this one so without further adieu, Here is my review of Evile’s ‘Hell Unleashed’.
The album kicks off with the energetic ‘Paralysed’. The fast-paced thrash sound is instantly recognisable and Oi Drakes vocals instantly have you hooked. The song is musically phenomenal and features some truly impressive guitar phrasing. Adam Smith and Ol Drake harmonise well together throughout, making for a memorable track. Following that is ‘Gore’ which is featuring Brian Posehn. The song is full of fiery bursts of aggression and the track delivers one hell of a punch. From rapid tremolos to crazy as hell drum fills, the song has something for everyone! A great start for the UK Thrashers.
Creating a scene of foreboding danger, ‘Incarcerated’ is quite the unique track. Adopting a more sullen feel to open the song that is suddenly bombarded by a barrage of riffs. The song boasts some well-executed contrasting tones and is a joy to listen to. I highly recommend you check this track out for yourself! Unfortunately, the album isn’t without its flaws and ‘War of Attrition’ just doesn’t live up to the rest of the billing. The song comes across as a little generic and lacks the impact Evile have been known to deliver.
Thankfully, ‘Disorder’ get’s the album right back on track. The song has an infectious bassline that persists throughout the entire song. Joel Graham has done a really good job on his execution of this track! Match that with some awesome riffs and solo’s and you have yourself the recipe for a classic thrash metal track. Speaking of classics, ‘The Thing (1982)’ is based on the film and I actually expected this one to be a little bland however, I was pleasantly surprised to be hooked on Ben Carter’s drumming right from the get-go. The sheer speed of the track is something to behold in its own right and I have to say that I think this may be my top pick of the album!
‘Zombie Apocalypse’ doesn’t quite have the same amount of excitement around it and unfortunately, this was the song that came off a bit too bland for my liking. A very generic chord progression is present throughout the entire song and the song does just come and go without even registering in your mind. A real down point on the new album.
The penultimate track ‘Control from Above’ manages to steer the album back on course with its charisma and character on display right from the off. Ol Drakes vocals dominate the track and this song is a shining example of just what he is capable of. A really strong performance from him accompanied by an exciting instrumental is just what the album needed. What other way would you end a thrash album than with an all-out assault of noise! ‘Hell Unleashed’ is exactly that and fans of thrash metal will be mesmerized by the blistering riffs and sheer aggression on display during this song. What an end to the album.
Evile has delivered an album that can be regarded as one of their best. The record is full of passion and energy which makes it a joy to listen to over and over again. Thrash may not be the hottest commodity in 2021 but with bands like Evile releasing music like this, it may just be a matter of time!