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By Jonathan Smith Metal Fire From Hell is the second album from Japan’s Hellhound. It doesn’t offer anything off the beaten path, but there is no indication that the band has any intention of suggesting otherwise. The music is very much rooted in a thick stew of classic metal influences, and everything, even down to the song titles and themes, alludes to a great love for and appreciation of those who have come before. With tracks with names like “Heavy Metal Education,” “Metal Psycho,”and “Too Wild To Tame,” it’s clear that subtlety does not exist with regard to Metal Fire From Hell. It’s a solid and amusing collection, however, and things get better as the album progresses. The final piece, “Warriors of Rising Sun,” opens with an absolutely infectious sliding guitar sound in which the spirit of the entire album is captured. As a whole this offering from Hellhound is, simply put, just plain ol’ fun.
(Planet Metal).
I'm often critical of humorous and idiotic retro metal bands within these pages, but occasionally an album comes along which is so beside itself with laughter, so ludicrous that I cannot resist its charms. Japan's Hellhound have released such an effort in the sequel to Tokyo Flying V Massacre. They basically mash up Rob Halford-esque screaming vocals with catchy classic speed/thrash metal, and the rest is pure enjoyment. In keeping with tradition to this sort of self-mockery, half the song titles feature the word 'metal' in them. The album opens with the forceful title track 'Metal Fire From Hell', and you'll also be introduced to the gang shouts and Udo-like rampage known as 'Heavy Metal Highway', the NWOBHM flavored 'Heavy Metal Education', and the filthy speed 'Metal Psycho'.
There are other tracks as well, like the bluesy grooves of 'Headcrusher' where the vocals become simply hysterical. 'Too Wild to Tame' is one of the better tracks with a great old speed vibe below Crossfire's vocals. Yes, the vocalist/guitarist is named Crossfire, while the other band members have names like Swordmaster, Dragonblaster and let us not forget the other guitar player Lucifer's Heritage. The album sounds quite old school but it's bold and crunchy, the vocals slice right through the riffs like an air raid siren. This album should appeal to fans of countrymen Metalucifer who have a similar tongue in cheek approach to their influences, if a little grimier sounding than this. The songs here are fun, the leads will have you throwing your horns in midair, and it's a little better than the debut album.
Actually, you'll be throwing horns the entire time.autothrall http://www.fromthedustreturned.com.
One look at that album cover and surely you realize that what you're getting yourself into is not epic folk metal, brutal death, or progressive power metal. 'Metal Fire from Hell' — licensed from Black-Listed Records for stateside release by Planet Metal — from Japan's HELLHOUND is pure '80s heavy metal, albeit the cheesier end (but not straight-up hair metal either). It is a fan's tribute of sorts to a style with which one can only assume the foursome fell in love and never could shake.
So why not write and record it? According to the band, 'If you don't like us, you don't like metal'. Hold your horses; let's not get carried away here either, kids. It is not like this is the quintessential heavy metal album for lovers of heavy metal, but the truth of the matter is that 'Metal Fire from Hell' contains eight heavy metal fireballs of varying temperature, most of which are catchy and a good deal of fun, even if they aren't going to make anyone forgot the original masters. In general, the material tends to take copious cues from ACCEPT (e.g. 'Heavy Metal Education'), speed metal acts like EXCITER (e.g. 'Metal Psycho', 'Too Wild to Tame'), and a smattering of acts that could include everyone from KIX to DIRTY LOOKS (tell me you don't hear it on 'Headcrusher') to MANOWAR (sort of); the so-so 'Warriors of Rising Sun' has a bit of that vibe.
At least there are no real stinkers; only a couple of average bangers, such as 'Change the World'. Truth be told, the cheesy part comes mainly from the falsetto, phlegm-choked vocals that occasionally make one think of a heavy metal version of one of the Muppets (whose name escapes me). Sorry, but it's true, which does not mean that the vocals are a major problem. Battle royale manga.
They are in fact well suited to the arrangements and not altogether different from what was heard from a lot of 80s bands. So take it with a grain of salt. The short of it is that 'Metal Fire from Hell' is good for a hoot and offers up a handful tasty metallic nuggets, provided you're in the mood for it. It is not, however, the second coming. Author: Scott Alisoglu Posted in.
List Of Hellhound Names
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Meme If You Can Summon Your Fire From Hell
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