Goddamn it I love evil music. Probably the best aspect of Metal within any of its true genres is that nothing is too extreme whether its the lyrics, music, or general attitudes of bands as long as they don’t take their stage persona and turn it into some sort of half assed ego trip. Where immorality and sheer wickedness are concerned, Hell-Born has always been a band that embodies the concept of “Practicing what you preach.” Even a hardcore atheist/freethinker like me who looks at all concepts with a degree of intellectual doubt can temporarily cast those inhibitions aside, for Hell-Born plays with a passion for all things Satanically Metal matched by few bands.
On ‘Cursed Infernal Steel,’ Hell-Born has venomously returned with their 4th full-length release. The album reeks of demonic possession and Metal pride. Each song has a backbone of Destruction type Thrash woven into Possessed era Old School Death Metal. The Hell-Born style is mostly mid-paced, but epic in that everything seems played with a profound grandiosity whether it’s the crash of a cymbal, strum of a guitar, or devilish vocal brazing. The guitar and bass emanate portent hazy fuzz like flickering heat rising from hellfire. The ostinatos are simple, but heavier than a 40-ton dump truck dropped on your chest. The bass… Oh that splendidly pernicious bass rolls, bounces, dives, and weaves with a lowly end that compels worshipers of Satan to drop to their knees in reverie.
Positive too on ‘Cursed Infernal Steel,’ is that the band has gotten tighter. This further enhances the warlike atmosphere pervading the recording. In listening to the CD I get the impression that Hell-Born wanted to create an unmatched album that hearkens back to the time of early Venom, Morbid Angel, and Slayer. The result is a thrashy deathly feel within the music that is sinfully raw, but wrapped in a novel sound that is richly clear. Most apparent is that Hell-Born proves a band need not be overly technical or brOOOtal to be thunderously captivating.
‘Cursed Infernal Steel’ is an album that is filled with all the elements that make Metal phenomenal. The music is traditional yet modern. The feel is pure iniquity, and the musicianship is excellent. Most paramount is that Hell-Born slay their instruments with a power and class that some bands never match in their entire career. Hell-Born are purveyors of all that is unholy, therefore, dedicated readers it is your mission to buy ‘Cursed Infernal Steel,’ today.
By Mike Lidia
