Hellhammer - Demon Entrails

Occult metal pioneers’ early demos compiled at last

Extreme metal is a global and multifarious scene these days, but the roots of the various thrash, black, death, doom, battle and Viking metal subgenres can be traced back to a small number of pioneering bands active in the early 80s. Venom, Bathory and Mercyful Fate are the obvious godfathers of it all, but the Swiss band Hellhammer should be added to that select list of acts. Like those others, they were a group with a microscopic recording budget, primitive musical skills and a desire to walk the left-hand path when it came to metal. For over two decades, Hellhammer’s only official release has been 1984’s Apocalyptic Raids EP (50 quid on eBay to you, headbanger), so this collection of demos is long overdue.

Frontman Thomas Fischer has remastered the sound (taking it up from bathtub quality to near-professional), giving us the fullly necro experience of the Satanic Rites, Death Fiend and Triumph Of Death tapes for the first time. True devotees will get hold of the triple-LP box set; everyone else will do fine with one of the 2-CD versions (deluxe, or non-deluxe). It’s dark, powerful, vengeful music; little wonder that Fischer (then using the stage name “Satanic Slaughter”; give him credit, he was a kid at the time), and his bass player Martin “Slayed Necros” Ain went on to form Celtic Frost, one of the most influential metal bands ever. This is where it all started, and Demon Entrails celebrates those beginnings in style.

Century Media | tbc

Reviewed by Joel McIver
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