Panzerkrieg 666 - Panzerkrieg 666

Panzerkrieg 666

Panzerkrieg 666

by Chris Hawkins at 23 May 2022, 6:36 AM

One would never guess that PANZERKRIEG 666 was formed in 2021 by listening to their debut EP.  Rather, what spews forth from the recording is the same unholy, blasphemous vitality that breathed life into those timeless recordings released by acts such as JUDAS ISCARIOT, LORD BELIAL, and IMPALED NAZARINE.  PANZERKRIEG 666 is a duo, Mvm (vocals) and HvS (instruments), from Germany who have just released their eponymous debut via Human Noise Records.  This is intense!

According to the band’s biography, they are heavily influenced by the standard fare of MARDUK, DARK FUNERAL, and DISSECTION.  Certainly, one can hear such strains within the four tracks (the fifth is an alternate German version of the fourth track, “Hiding Assassins”) yet this eclipses the notion of idol worship or being stuck in the quicksand of the Second Wave of Black Metal.  What sets the band apart is a fiery vehemence that catapults them to the very cutting edge of the genre.

“Grand Commander” is the most resolute of opening statements.  As the song plays through, the listener is inundated with cold, hateful riffs whose vitriol marries well with the decimation caused by the constant drumming assault.  With a huge, organic sound, the drums push the guitar riffs to go harder and faster.

Perhaps it is cliché to compare a band like PANZERKRIEG 666’s sound to a relentless blitzkrieg; yet it seems most fitting in this case.  The second track, eponymously titled, hammers this point home with its explosive fury.  Take shelter!

There is no doubt that PANZERKRIEG 666 would fit in perfectly amongst the ‘90s bands that forged this genre.  Modernity, however, affords them the chance to eschew the unsavory production that plagued many of those albums (their inaccessibility fueled their cult status).  While the Black Metal spirit is maintained throughout, the instruments and vocals are clear with individual parts discernible.  Do not be mistaken, this is not pristinely produced.  A more fitting description would be that it is produced enough.

It has been quite some time since hearing a Black Metal album that was truly impressive.  There are no keyboards nor atmospheric tendencies, but there is a sense of passionate urgency.  One feels as if being bombarded by an unrelenting assault, and that is just the way it should be.

Songwriting:  8
Originality:  7
Memorability:  8
Production:  8