Hellectricity: Salem Blood

Released by their fellow countrymen at MetalMind and bringing together Rufus (vocals), Przemas (guitar/bass), Kuba (guitar) and Wisnia (drums), Polish retro-metallers Hellectricity serve up their full length debut Salem Blood, hot on the heels of their keenly tipped EP Cold Blood Desires. The foursome in question can boast previous acts such as Corruption, Lostbone, Hedfirst, Carnal and The Supergroup, leaving you in absolutely no doubt that this band are not some green behind the ears newbies.

Rather than following trends, or merging genre lines in the vain hope of coming up with something vaguely original, Hellectricity proudly wear their 80s metal influences on their collective sleeve. Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer all surge into view, but there's also a whiff of NWOBHM and Motorhead in this band's bubbling cauldron. "Silver Bullets" bursts out of the traps with a real sense of urgency and energy, sweeping all in its path along for the head-banging ride. A big thick riff sledgehammers the song into existence, a pummelling pound of drums and solid bass work reinforcing the attack. Vocally Rufus has certainly heard a certain Mr Hetfield hum the odd tune or two, but there's more melody about what the big Pole offers up - although on the odd occasion he does sound just ever so slightly too polite for his surroundings. The ball is kept rolling firmly apace through "Endless Lie", with the early vitality showing no signs of wearing off, however as you hurtle through the other eight songs on Salem Blood the lack of variance in the attack does leave you a little nonplussed.

You can't criticise the enthusiastic execution of "Wolf Or Man", the bulging guitar gratings of "Nightmare", full on gallop of "Beware Of Light", or the doom tinged and slightly over long title track. However even after numerous listens to Salem Blood, there's no denying that neither do any of these songs really make any lasting impression on your mind. Przemas and Kuba combine mightily throughout, while Wisnia attacks his drum-kit with all his strength, but in the end the results are just on the wrong side of unremarkable. Not bad, not weak and never lacklustre, just unremarkable.

If you are desperate for a slab of uncompromising 80s inspired metal that does exactly what you'd expect, then Hellectricity come strongly recommended. However for the rest of us Salem Blood comes across more as an album from a band looking for a place of their own, rather than one already confidently marking their hard earned territory.

Track Listing
1. Silver Bullets
2. Endless Lie
3. Wolf Or Man
4. Plague LXIX
5. Nightmare
6. Don't Burn The Witch
7. Eat Me Alive
8. Beware Of Light
9. Salem Blood
10. Prophecy

Added: February 9th 2013
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Hellectricity on facebook
Hits: 1799
Language: english

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