Well, look what slithered into daylight from under an ancient rock. RMR searched far and wide for an Extreme Metal record so vile, barbarous, and savage, it had the potential to blow bands like Anaal Nathrakh from the Throne ov Metal AbominationsTM. Abject brutality galore can be found in many of those Neanderthal Death Metal pieces, but unhinged ferocity served with style and savoir-faire, that’s a different story.
So, here Vredehammer – the hammer of wrath – surged into the spotlight with a vengeance. And it brought a gift called the God Slayer. How could we ever resist this? Right, we couldn’t. It’s just too juicy to pass over.
The record’s yet again the fruit of one of these one-man shows. Concoctions the RMR crew often finds wanting and – in many cases – rejects. But some gems do exist with records written by masters of the trade such as SIG:AR:TYR. True talented multi-instrumentalists at the top of their game who’ll mercilessly show you the errors of your ways. And one of those is Per Valla of Vredehammer, the man behind the vocals and all instruments, except the drums. Together with Dominator (ex Nordjevel, ex Dark Funeral), the session drummer, you’ll face a dream team endowed with an almost frightening knack to destroy your eardrums with furious metallic attention.
The outfit hails from Norway, one of the feistier cradles of blackened fare. And that leads us to some fun findings with the band name. Further South, ‘vrede’ sports a much different meaning. In Dutch and Afrikaans – for instance – it means ‘peace’. But it changes into ‘anger’ or ‘wrath’ as you venture North of the Danish border.1 And the more North you move, the fiercer the sentiment gets. After all, the tales of the Norse we hear through the tunnels of time are way more frightful than what the survivors of the Danes reported.
God Slayer launches a full-frontal assault with a grim blend of Black and Death Metal, presenting an ominously glowing mass of alloy marked by a subtle yet distinct industrial edge and a penchant for delicate dissonance. This album is heavily riff-oriented, featuring both pummeling guitar work and relentless drumming that leave no room for respite throughout its 38-minute runtime. It’s characterized by a dual force that consistently thrusts itself to the forefront, delivering rough-hewn pitiless, barebone, riff-heavy Blackened Death Metal mixed with ‘core-ish breakdowns and sudden bursts of wild tremolo picking.
And this means that the gritty vocals indeed sit somewhat back in the mix. And for once, such harsh sins won’t even gripe with the rest. The production is indeed pristine with zero elements lost anywhere. A friggin’ avalanche of densely written and overly burly Extreme Metal. And often God Slayer feels as if Vredehammer is tattooing its rough-hewn vibes directly into your flesh with a blunt chisel. Talk about some overarching intensity.
That said, the record sports so many hooks, it might scare an ocean full of fish away. This is a wild ride, seemingly with out-of-control aggression levels that no anger management can fix. This actually starts with the first track called – well – Intro.2 The thunderous blast of war drums will get your attention, want it or not. God Slayer – the title track – will indeed burn that mental fat off your insides. That one truly is a cathartic experience with those drums wielded like weapons of war and its weird atmospheric interludes. But Blood of Wolves will blow the rest out of the water. If merciless and relentless fury is your wont, head straight for this track.
So, what fuming pile of vile metal have we got ourselves here? The famed Hammer of the Witches is gone, replaced by this here Hammer of Wrath. God Slayer – true to its meaning – indeed turned into one of the harshest pieces on this here zine. A harbinger of death and destruction fueled by overly loud war thunder roared forth by armies of armored orks assaulting a deity’s shiny castle. Total fucking ferocity on steroids that will force itself down your eardrums and will – at the same time – make you yearn for more.
And did it dethrone Anaal Nathrak, the masters of barbarity and viciousness, from their lofty perch? Not quite (or not yet). But take it from one who’s been there: This is outstanding Extreme Metal at a scale difficult to match. A record that will stay at the top of our internal playlist for some time.
Ed’s note: And the record made it onto the 2024 Top 10 Records. Congrats!
Record Rating: 8/10 | Label: Indie Recordings | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 24 May 2024