Svartskogg - Hellvete 666 CD

Usually black / thrash metal is built of black metal structures and incorporate thrashy strummings and melodies, but Svartskogg do just the opposite: most of the music here is thrash metal and the intrusions belong to black metal landscapes –and are not certainly frequent. “Helvete 666” is the debut album by this young band based in Bergen (Norway), which blends thrash metal with a raspy black metal voice and guitars. Their thrash is rather devoted of modern sounds instead of just concentrating in the classic 80s, but here and there you can hear blinks to that style, especially the one portrayed by German bands as Destruction or Sodom. Those guitar licks, chugga-chugga melodies, clean solos, effective mid-tempos, uh, nostalgia is hitting my mind... Well, “Helvete 666” follows the way Sodom have paved with their latest albums; in fact Svartskogg´s singer Forrykt have a style quite similar to Tom Angelripper in the “M-16” album, even though being black metal! The fact Svartskogg don´t stand on the 80s thrash solely, makes this band more interesting. Not a retro old school band here, but a modern one trying to play aggressive, non-trendy music. The key here, music itself, is very enjoyable by any thrashy headbanger. I would quote the starter “The Beyond”, “Abyss Of Blood” and “Helvete 666” (this last with its hymnic chorus!) as the best tunes of the album. To sum up the whole thing: “Helvete 666” is an entertaining thrash metal album with the aforementioned evil blacky touches, professionally done, clean sound and honest attitude.

1. The Beyond
2. New Flesh
3. The New World Order
4. Exterminator Angel
5. Abyss Of Blood
6. Swallow The Blades
7. Helvete 666
8. Delirium