The first time the name Sijjin crossed my radar was a couple years ago, when they played the 2023 edition of America’s most infamous extreme metal festival, Metal Threat. While I wasn’t in attendance the day they played (opting to catch one of my OTHER favorite power trios, the far more refined King’s X instead), they remained a name I had been meaning to explore since, as their inclusion on such a stacked lineup HAD to imply they were at the very least half decent. Upon finally giving Sijjin a proper, thorough listen via their latest album, Helljjin Combat, I can unequivocally say this international death-thrashing machine is far more than merely half decent!
Anything but a sophomore slump, Helljjin Combat is a release that’s as adventurously unique as it is unrelentingly violent. Whether you’d brand their sound death/thrash, first generation death metal, ’80s death metal, or some other variation of the term, one thing is for certain: Sijjin are a band who owe virtually zero influence to any form of metal released past the year 1989. They’re fast, lethal, technical, and mystical, sometimes all at the same time! Yet most importantly, they are old school to the core, and they ain’t afraid to show it.
When listening to Helljjin Combat, the influence of two specific bands becomes more than apparent: Slayer and Morbid Angel. The opening “Fear Not the Tormentor” can best be described as what death metal would sound like if the genre had taken all its subsequent cues from Slayer as opposed to Death. Now granted, I personally consider Hell Awaits to be the first proper death metal album (sorry Seven Churches), and while many of you might find this assessment to be absolutely ludicrous, give a listen to cuts like “Trance of the Mummified” and “The Southern Temple”. Those riffs have “fukkin’ Slayer” written ALL over them, and yet are far too fatal to merely be labelled plain ol’ thrash.
On the Morbid side of things are demonic combustions like “Dakhma Curse”, “Death Opens the Grave”, and “Horrific Distortions”. The instrumentation is wild and chaotic, the atmosphere is tense and uneasy, and those rasped vocals of frontman/bassist Malte Gericke go toe to toe with David Vincent in his prime. What’s perhaps most interesting about Helljjin Combat is the way it just teeters on the edge of progressive/technical territory, largely thanks to its lengthy runtimes, unpredictable arrangements, and unusual solos. However, Sijjin manages to achieve these feats without ever losing sight of the riffs, and even more importantly, the songs, giving off some true Hell Awaits vibes in this regard.
Throw in a splash of Necrovore’s demo dementia and the youthful rage of Seven Churches Possessed alongside these aforementioned tropes, and you’ve got Helljjin Combat. No need to do a wellness check on this here album. This beast is armed and ready to unleash pure war, in this world and the underworld. Old timey death metal purists who consider the genre to be tainted come the advent of breakdowns and Cookie Monster vocals (yes kiddies, they do exist) will be more than pleased will laying this one down on the turntable, with the volume dial cranked to 666, of course.
8 out of 10
Label: Sepulchral Voice Records
Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
For fans of: Slayer, Morbid Angel, Necrovore
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