Alice In Hell - The Fall

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Japanese thrash metal band ALICE IN HELL formed in Tokyo in 2011. The band has released two albums so far in Japan only. STF records has recently released them worldwide, much to the pleasure of the band, who cite METALLICA, MEGADETH, and MOTORHEAD as influences. “The Fall” was originally released in 2017, and contains ten tracks.

The title track, “The Fall,” leads the charge of heavy horse over a blood stained battlefield. There is a little more going on in the riffing from the previous album, as well as some honing of the vocal style. They definitely got tighter in the past three years. “Past my Face” is mid-tempo number with a slow groove in the manner of early ACCEPT. The riffs also venture out at times which is a nice change of pace at times. “Broken Healer” goes the other direction, and sets the landscape ablaze with fire and brimstone. The vocals have a gritty edge and another good guitar solo rounds out the sound. “Evil of your Dead” has a dirty riff and an aggressive sound. It’s also a bit darker that some of the previous tracks, bringing the title to life.

“Secret Thunder” is more of a mid-tempo groove. The riff stays low and cautious, while the vocals have a sinister tone. TYR is a Germanic God associated with haw and heroic glory in Norse Mythology. “Sign of Tyr” brings his legend to life with a fierce song that features some fretboard tapping and steady, thunderous drumming. “Revelation” features a chugging guitar riff on open note chords and repugnant vocals that seem to lure in the listener to his bloody fate. “Midnight Stealer” has a steady riff with a bit of a groove, like something you might have heard in the early days of the NWOBHM movement. The bass guitar shines a bit here in this song as well, and it’s a good anthem for the album as a whole.

“Eyes all Around” has a bit of a mysterious opening, with a beating drum and lead guitar thick with reverb. You look over your back but whatever hides in the shadows does not reveal itself. “Judges” closes the album, with a classic sounding Speed Metal sound. Drums and bass hold down the pace while the guitar thrashes over top. Overall, they made some improvements since the 2014 debut. They are goo musicians and have a clear passion for their craft. But the basic issue is that they still haven’t found a way to work in their own personality into their music. In a genre already tight with borders and vast with other bands, you have to find that niche that separates you from the pack.

Songwriting: 7
Originality: 6
Memorabilty: 7
Production: 7