When it comes to ’90s black metal, the masses are so preoccupied by the antics and music (but mainly the antics) of the Norwegian scene that they tend to forget about the similarly natured bands who came out of countries like Greece, the Czech Republic, and Sweden. Yes, although Sweden’s contribution to ’90s underground metal is most widely recognized by their undeniably influential wave of death metal bands, equally as important was their black metal scene that bred such bands as Dissection, Sacramentum, and Nifelheim. What separated Nifelheim from many of their peers was their obsession with thrashing riffs and a true old school spirit, as if the black metal that was being churned out in the moment was “false” compared to Bathory, Sodom, and the masters of yesteryear.
For well over 30 years, Nifelheim, spearheaded by twin brothers Hellbutcher (vocals) and Tyrant (bass), waged pure blackened thrash mayhem across the globe, until a series of unfortunate events (not the Lemony Snicket kind) led to their unexpected demise in late 2022. It left many wondering, what was next for the infamous Hard Rock Brothers? While it remains to be seen how Tyrant will plot his next move, Hellbutcher has risen from the ashes of Nifelheim with his own eponymous band and an absolutely devastating self titled debut album, issued on none other than the legendary Metal Blade Records.
Such a move makes sense for the mighty Hellbutcher. After all, it was Metal Blade who issued such landmark albums as Slayer’s Show No Mercy, Sodom’s Obsessed by Cruelty, and Destruction’s Infernal Overkill. It’s in the tradition of those early bestial slabs of steel that Hellbutcher follows, laying wimps and posers to waste with 30+ minutes of old school black metal brutality. Breakneck ragers like “The Sword of Wrath”, “Perdition”, and “Possessed by the Devil’s Flames” don’t so much like halfhearted attempts at recreating Nifelheim’s past glory, but rather a faithful continuation of such, packed to the brim with scorching hellfire and unrelenting fury. Hellbutcher’s devilish rasps remain untouched by time, and he’s backed by an equally carnivorous band who deliver some utterly diabolical performances.
Staying true to the first wave black metal ethos, Hellbutcher is far from a one trick pony. The album does leave some breathing room, exploring various facets of the genre’s early sound before being pigeonholed by corpsepaint, tremolo riffing, and no-fi production. “Violent Destruction” goes full blown Venom mode, barraging the listener with pissed off black ‘n’ roll riffage and a defiant attitude. “Hordes of the Horned God” is a musical and lyrical homage to Dissection’s Jon Nödtveidt, boasting the sprawling guitar lines and sinister melodies that made the band so iconic to begin with. And then we’ve got my choice cut, “Death’s Rider”, which might be the best Show No Mercy era Slayer song never recorded. Initially featured on Hellbutcher’s debut demo of the same title, there’s a devilish charm to this song that takes you back to the days when Kerry King wore black eye makeup and spikes instead of Dollar Tree sunglasses.
If Nifelheim is truly history, a black metal memory to only be referred to in the past tense, then Hellbutcher is a most fitting successor, hitting all the marks and then some. At no point does this album attempt to be anything other than unbridled black metal, and it does an excellent job at exactly that. This should come as no surprise considering the band’s namesake has specialized in exactly this for well over three decades now. Let’s hope for our sake that he continues to do so for another three decades to come. Keep giving ’em hell, Hellbutcher!
8 out of 10
Label: Metal Blade Records
Genre: Black/Thrash Metal
For fans of: Nifelheim, Bathory, Aura Noir