Hellcrash – Inferno Crematörio Review
By Kenstrosity
Whenever I’m reviewing a retro style of metal, my first consideration is where I draw the line that separates pure worship from a fresh take on a well-worn method. Which then begs a follow-up: how much does it really matter? When Italian blackened speed metal banshees Hellcrash rose from the brimstone to grace me with its presence, I found myself immediately skipping the first query to then ruminate on the second. In the end, how detrimental is it to my enjoyment or appreciation that something new sounds like it was plucked from the seediest underbelly of the 80s metal scene? I read every day how ravenously even younger metalheads yearn for this kind of material, after all. I never considered myself an official member of that camp, at least not strictly speaking. However, as Hellcrash’s third LP Inferno Crematörio drags its scalding claws salaciously across my suddenly restrained body and exposed skin, those same carnal cravings for sleazy olden metal overwhelm my every sense.
Imagine Venom at their speediest and sloppiest. Electrify that base with the devilish wiles of Bütcher and fortify its boiling blood with the ripping guitar work of Razor and Bulldozer, and char it with a smoky production. As a final touch, sprinkle a decidedly punk-driven attitude that whispers unsweet nothings into every aspect of this material, from performance to riffcraft to production. That’s Inferno Crematörio. To call it “speed” renders an understated image of the exuberance and vibrancy of its content. Flying at twice the speed of metal, Inferno Crematörio immolates everything before it with raucous lead guitar work, stupid-fast bass pummeling, thunderous machine-gun riffs, vomitous rasps dripping with demonic lust, and organic percussion that collectively transports me to 1986 while reminding me why classic metal will never die.
At a tight and taut 37 minutes, Inferno Crematörio blasts by in a flash, but leaves a distinct brand upon the brain in its wake. Immediately striking, opening suite “Flames of Hades” and “Inferno Crematörio” encapsulates with much gusto what the rest of the record has in store. Riffs that rip the flesh off my face faster than I can scream “HAIL SATAN” blaze across the soundscape hotly enough to melt it to glass. Meanwhile, late highlight “Mark of the Beast” showcases an additional dynamic in Hellcrash’s sound, utilizing that punk-like sharpness to raise the budding hair on my back into a decidedly hazardous mohawk-like formation. Catchy numbers “Black Fire Demon,” “Purgatory Raiders,” and “Rapid Possession” forge a fine, but accessible weapon of speedy riffs and screaming solos that deeply evoke that classic Razor edge, maximizing Inferno Crematörio’s nasty fun factor. Even the slightly slower, and consequently longer, “Oathbreaker” impresses with smoking riffs, leads, and bells colliding in horrifying unity as crackling rasps spew their demonic utterances into my ear.
As you might imagine, Hellcrash are at their best when keeping those revs high and the throttle at full bore. At the same time, those unfamiliar with this style could have a hard time keeping up. As much as I yearn to call this a skill issue on the listener’s part, the fact remains that some of this material can bleed together or pass by entirely if that listener isn’t paying attention. Hellcrash smartly implemented brief moments (like the transition separating the end of “Black Fire Demon” from the start of “Purgatory Raiders”) where the pace shifts, resets, and rebuilds in order to give listeners at least a snowball’s chance in hell of staying on track. However, there are a few nooks and crannies in those transitions that break continuity and flow too much, introducing a somewhat disjointed rubber-band effect to the affair—you might notice this in otherwise killer track “Sword of Baphomet.” As a final nitpick, I respect Hellcrash for attempting a Bütcher-esque epic in ten-minute closer “Templar’s Curse,” but unfortunately, it merely highlights all of Inferno Crematörio’s weak points. Though fun for a while, and still brimming with stellar guitar work, its rocky pacing and overextended segments make it a bit of a slog to get through.
Regardless, Inferno Crematörio is a rollicking time full of fun, sleaze, and hellfire. It’s not perfect, and of course pays great reverence to its inspirations of olde. And yet, that doesn’t really make that much of a difference to me today. Hellcrash gave me everything I needed, everything I wanted, and even a little more with Inferno Crematörio.
Rating: Very Good!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: hellcrash.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/Hellcrashmetal
Releases Worldwide: May 23rd, 2025
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