Hammercult - Built For War (2015) [Deluxe Edition]

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Hammercult - Built For War (2015) [Deluxe Edition]

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Hammercult - Built For War (2015) [Deluxe Edition]

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After two years of the release of “Steelcrusher”, many shows and presentations on festivals and after conquering more and more fans, the Israeli Thrash Metal war machine HAMMERCULT is back to the front. Untamed, unrest, and still as aggressive as predator, they now are coming with their third and best album to date, “Built for War”.

If on “Steelcrusher” they were one of the finest Thrash Metal bands on the worldwide scene, I can for sure guarantee this: their musical fury can make legendary Thrash Metal bands become vexed from their latest album. Here there are no experimentalisms, there’s no place for words of excuses. There’s only an abrasive and intense attack.

So, let me speak in more clear terms: HAMMERCULT has evolved a lot since “Steelcrusher” release. Their music still as aggressive and impacting as always, but their melodies are more evident (especially in the guitar solos), as some influences from traditional Heavy Metal (I dare to point some influence from KING DIAMOND and MERCYFUL FATE are present), and even bits of MOTORHEAD touches in some moments. Yakir still singing as aggressive as always with his high pitched tunes, but he is using some clean voices and hardcore tunes as well. Guy and the newcomer Yuval are forming a perfect duo in guitars, creating excellent and massive riffs, and great and melodic solos, and Elad Manor (bass) and Maayan (Drums) are creating a destructive, technical and heavy rhythmic basis. They have guts enough to take the hearts and souls of all Metallians that hear their music. And once more, as I said on “Steelcrusher” review: they are doing something different and particular, far away of everything you can think about Thrash Metal.

To make clear that they are serious on their conquest path, they recruited Tue Madsen (who worked previously for his works with THE HAUNTED, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, DARK TRANQUILITY, HOLY MOSES, MOONSPELL) for the mixing and mastering of “Built for War”. As a result, an aggressive and clear sound quality is presented, with every musical arrangement evident. And the cover created by Péter Sallai (the same artist that worked with covers for SABATON, CIVIL WAR, KATAKLYSM and others) is excellent, showing clearly what the quintet is up to with their music: no governments, no banks, no bounds, no police, and no cults beside HAMMERCULT!

Oh, you want tips about their best moments? Are you kidding Ol’ Big Daddy here?

Give up already, all the songs are their best moments!

After the intro “From Parts Unknown”, the massacre stars with “Rise of the Hammer”, a song not as fast as some can think, but with thunderous and catching riffs, and ferocious vocals. “I Live for this Shit” is a fast and aggressive song, and with excellent work done by bass and drums, as “Spoils of War”, but this one presents some very good melodies on guitars and present some very good clean vocals. Another very fast song, but with a Rock’n’Roll feeling that reminds something from MOTORHEAD is presented on “Ready to Roll”, presenting some very catching choruses and backing vocals (really, we are forced to sing along with them). Another powerhouse of abrasive energy with Rock’n’Roll feeling is “Raise Some Hell”, extremely contagious, with perfect work from drums and vocals (with some great tunes changes). The aggressive feeling is back on “Blackened Blade”, a thundering Thrash Metal inferno with great guitars (and fine guitar solos in Eddie Clarke’s way) and on “Let It Roar” (another Thrash Metal war tank that starts with slow tempos, but soon it becomes faster and abrasive, but presenting a wonderful chorus). “Ode to Ares” is an interlude that gives us the opportunity to breathe, because “Altar of Pain” is a fast and massive bombing, but again presenting some melodic touches (especially on chorus). A mid tempo Rock’n’Roll and uncompromised song is “Blood and Fire”, but prepare for it is abrasive and have a pure Hardcore adrenaline. A pitch black poison full of adrenaline and fed with tons of beer is “Saturday Night Circle Pit Fight”, a song with charming riffs and great vocals once more. And the nail in the coffin is called “Road to Hell”, a final blow in of stomachs, with very good drumming and great screams (and melodies in some riffs). And on LP version, you have a version for SLAYER’s “Evil Has No Boundaries”. And on the version CD+DVD, a show of them on Tel Aviv, recorded on 2014.

One of the best albums of this year, and HAMMERCULT comes to conquest lands. Forget the clones and the old senile bands, for this is an album of the most pure Thrash Metal breed.

by Marcos “Big Daddy” Garcia, metal-temple

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Hammercult - Built For War (2015) [Deluxe Edition]

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Hammercult - Built For War (2015) [Deluxe Edition]

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Hammercult - Built For War (2015) [Deluxe Edition]

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Hammercult - Built For War (2015) [Deluxe Edition]

Close

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Hammercult - Built For War (2015) [Deluxe Edition]

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Hammercult - Built For War (2015) [Deluxe Edition]

Close

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Hammercult - Built For War (2015) [Deluxe Edition]

Close