One can draw many parallels between Midnight and their more obscure contemporaries Hammr. Both are one man blackened speedpunk bands from Cleveland, Ohio. As if this isn’t enough, both were associated with Hells Headbangers Records at one point or another (Midnight is currently signed to Metal Blade, but made a name for themselves on HHR). The only difference between these two bands is whereas Midnight continues to expand their sonic palette, becoming a reincarnation of a forgotten NWOBHM band of sorts, Hammr has doubled down on their brand of first wave black metal worship.
In fact, “doubling down” might be an understatement. It’s been a few years since I’ve visited their last full length, Unholy Destruction (2018), but I don’t recall it being nearly as filthy, ferocious, and downright violent as their latest album, Eternal Possession. That’s not to say Unholy Destruction was a bed of roses. It was nasty as all hell. But Eternal Possession comes off like the mutant bastard offspring of Bathory’s self titled debut and half drank bottle of whiskey, emerging from the gutter in a layer of crust.
This formula is established right out of the gate with the unrelenting “Forces of Sin”: No frills. No nonsense. Just pure infernal speed. “Ritual Desecration” continues the Bathory aesthetic, but with riffing reminiscent of thrash metal circa ’83-’84 and a lo-fi demo production, the latter of which really makes this release. If it were any cleaner, it may have taken away from the potency of the songs. The first half of Eternal Possession remains strong, thanks to the blackened blitz that is “Suspicion”, the Discharge worship of “Cascading Lustful Void”, and “Seeping Chalice”, which blurs the line between speed and thrash.
As we approach the album’s second half, one with less an appetite for such metal may grow bored. If you’re looking for songwriting with dynamism and depth, you’re not gonna find it here. That’s why I’ve always associated this niche as heavy metal’s answer to soul food…that is, if your soul is possessed by Pazuzu. “Negative Shift” and the title track are muscular, pummeling thrashers with attitude, while “Ceremonial Spite” and “Torment Prevails Again” upping the punk one more time before calling it a day. The riffs on these last couple tracks lie somewhere between Discharge and GBH, who despite the cries of elitists claiming otherwise, were as pivotal to the development of extreme metal as Black Sabbath and Judas Priest.
Eternal Possession isn’t the best blackened speed album you’ll hear this year. Hell, it may not even be the best blackened speed album you hear this month. What you can’t say is that it beats around the bush, because that it doesn’t. Living up to his/their name, Hammr brings the hammer down, and may the lord have mercy on whoever stands in its way. This dude is eternally possessed by metal and punk and wouldn’t have it any other way.
6 out of 10
Label: Hells Headbangers Records
Genre: Black/Speed Metal
For fans of: Bathory, Midnight, Hellripper