Normally, the reader would expect me to write a negative review, for this writer is notorious for not like too much of old school Metal bands, especially when we speak of Thrash Metal, but this insane Israeli quintet HAMMERCULT breathed personality on the style with their second album, the mass murderer “Steelcrusher”.
The main reason: along with thrashing riffs and Old School feeling, there’s modern elements here and there, as cutting throat vocals (the reminds something of IMPALED NAZARENE’s Mika Lutinnen), some blast beats, HC tempos and lots of destructive songs!
Tal Vaisman is the producer along with Chris “Zeuss” Harris have done the mixing and mastering of the album, giving an abrasive and very aggressive sound to the album, without losing the weight and cleaning of the sound. The artwork is a good one, remind us all of something from the 80’s.
Thirteen songs of destructive power await our ears, being their finest songs: the brutal “Steelcrusher” (great work from guitars, with melodic solos, and iron vocals), the insane “Metal Rules Tonight” (good bass guitar appearing here), “We Are the People” (here, we can feel the strong taste of MOTÖRHEAD and something of IMPALED NAZARENE due the good vocal duties, and with a guitar solo done by SEPULTURA’s Andreas Kisser), the bursting of musical violence “Burning the Road” (great vocals again), “Liar” (in a more HC tendency), and “In the Name of the Fallen” (some melodic moments appearing here, with participation of clean voices, and great drumming).
A fine album, and for the vinyl addicted, the LP version has a version for MOTÖRHEAD’s “Ace of Spades” and RUNNING WILD’s “Soldiers Of Hell”.
Tracklist:
1. Hymn to the Steel 2. Steelcrusher 3. Metal Rules Tonight 4. Into Hell 5. We Are the People 6. Burning the Road 7. Ironbound 8. Unholy Art 9. Satanic Lust 10. Liar 11. Damnation Arise 12. Heading for War 13. In the Name of the Fallen
Lineup:
Yakir Shochat – Vocals Guy Ben David – Guitars Arie Aranovich – Guitars Elad Manor – Bass Maayan Henik – Drums