HELLFUCK – Diabolic Slaughter

These Polish scumbags deal in face-melting thrash metal with blistering riffs, deadly solos that fly like bullets, and a pounding rhythm section capable of bashing your skull in. What immediately becomes apparent here is that these dudes are clearly quite capable of coming up with storming, aggressive metal with a raw edge to it. Cohesive in terms of tone and style throughout, Diabolic Slaughter is straightforward, direct, and bristling with energy and intent, and although there is nothing here that you have not heard before, the majority of these ten compositions are explosive cocktails that will keep you entertained throughout. There are a few instances where Hellfuck are treading water and the parts lack real spark, but those are far and few between, and strong cuts such as the annihilating ‘Reigning in Hell’ and the three compelling grenades named ‘Time to Suicide‘, ‘Angel’s Disgrace’ and ‘God in Flames’ will make you forget whatever flaws the disc possesses. In fact, the latter track consists of so many snappy and instantly memorable riffs that it borders on the ridiculous . . . and it absolutely slays! 

Grimy and loud as fuck, this disc is a half-hour musical scene of singular vileness that offers little in the way of subtlety, and while Godz ov War Productions have released more thrilling and powerful albums than this one, it is undoubtedly a charismatic and sturdy slab of maniacal metal. On top of that, the artwork, layout, and booklet look amazing. Pulverizing is one way of putting it.