Review by Carl on December 28, 2023.

The split EP, a proud staple of underground bands all over the world. You get two (or sometimes more) bands for the same price. If they're both good, you've hit the jackpot, if one of 'em sucks, there's still one side to cherish, and if they both suck ass, ... I guess that's just too bad then.

Side A comes flying out of the gates with Deathhammer from Norway, a band that I also own a full length by, and apart from that I can't actually tell you all that much about 'em, really. I don't know how that came to be, and judging from their contribution here, I've been missing out, because this fucking rips!! Their two cuts (one short, the other a bit longer) delivered here charge at you with merciless power, showcasing a speedy concoction of rough croaking and shrieking vocals, ferocious speed/thrash guitar riffing and simple yet highly effective percussion. Reminding me of a gruff rendition of "Show No Mercy" era Slayer, early Destruction or Venom that had too much coffee, these tracks speed by with a barely controlled punk-fueled energy and reckless abandon. Dressed up in a suitable unrefined yet balanced soundmix, guitar, vocals and drums are at each other's throats constantly, giving the listener barely any room to breathe. Both "Deathbangerz" and "Blasphemy" are brimming with energy, and the simple but hook-filled choruses have you shouting along in no time. It's full-on headbanging galore 80's style, and this hits the mark with full force.

Up next comes Körgull the Exterminator, the reason for me obtaining this 7". Like Deathhammer, they are also operating in the old school black/thrash realms of metal, taking their cues from bands like Sodom, Black Shepherd, Vulcano, Razor and (of course) old Voivod, but delivered with a rougher punk edge in the vein of Discharge, Charged G.B.H. and Attak. Opener "The Flag of Hate Shall Rise Again" comes bulldozing out of the gate, delivering a blow of blackened thrash, where Lilith's acidic croaked vocals are underpinned by the Motörhead meets early Kreator riffing and no-nonsense battering percussion, creating a punk-fueled blast of rough 'n' gruff metal, coming at your face like an iron fist. The second offering, "The Never Ending Forest", speeds things up a notch, adding a vicious burst of Sarcofago and Vulcano style velocity to the metalpunk on steroids the band has on offer. Once again immersed in a fitting unrefined underground production, this side of the EP continues the headbanging, bone-shattering atmosphere that started on the A-side with Deathhammer.

This is a great split EP, with both bands delivering a more than solid blast of aggression and belligerence throughout. This is the kind of old school and utterly remorseless type of savage and filth-ridden metal that you can pull me out of bed for in the middle of the night. Energetic and powerful, absolutely merciless and certainly devoid of any good manners, this one comes highly recommended!

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Carl on December 28, 2023.

The split EP, a proud staple of underground bands all over the world. You get two (or sometimes more) bands for the same price. If they're both good, you've hit the jackpot, if one of 'em sucks, there's still one side to cherish, and if they both suck ass, ... I guess that's just too bad then.

Side A comes flying out of the gates with Deathhammer from Norway, a band that I also own a full length by, and apart from that I can't actually tell you all that much about 'em, really. I don't know how that came to be, and judging from their contribution here, I've been missing out, because this fucking rips!! Their two cuts (one short, the other a bit longer) delivered here charge at you with merciless power, showcasing a speedy concoction of rough croaking and shrieking vocals, ferocious speed/thrash guitar riffing and simple yet highly effective percussion. Reminding me of a gruff rendition of "Show No Mercy" era Slayer, early Destruction or Venom that had too much coffee, these tracks speed by with a barely controlled punk-fueled energy and reckless abandon. Dressed up in a suitable unrefined yet balanced soundmix, guitar, vocals and drums are at each other's throats constantly, giving the listener barely any room to breathe. Both "Deathbangerz" and "Blasphemy" are brimming with energy, and the simple but hook-filled choruses have you shouting along in no time. It's full-on headbanging galore 80's style, and this hits the mark with full force.

Up next comes Körgull the Exterminator, the reason for me obtaining this 7". Like Deathhammer, they are also operating in the old school black/thrash realms of metal, taking their cues from bands like Sodom, Black Shepherd, Vulcano, Razor and (of course) old Voivod, but delivered with a rougher punk edge in the vein of Discharge, Charged G.B.H. and Attak. Opener "The Flag of Hate Shall Rise Again" comes bulldozing out of the gate, delivering a blow of blackened thrash, where Lilith's acidic croaked vocals are underpinned by the Motörhead meets early Kreator riffing and no-nonsense battering percussion, creating a punk-fueled blast of rough 'n' gruff metal, coming at your face like an iron fist. The second offering, "The Never Ending Forest", speeds things up a notch, adding a vicious burst of Sarcofago and Vulcano style velocity to the metalpunk on steroids the band has on offer. Once again immersed in a fitting unrefined underground production, this side of the EP continues the headbanging, bone-shattering atmosphere that started on the A-side with Deathhammer.

This is a great split EP, with both bands delivering a more than solid blast of aggression and belligerence throughout. This is the kind of old school and utterly remorseless type of savage and filth-ridden metal that you can pull me out of bed for in the middle of the night. Energetic and powerful, absolutely merciless and certainly devoid of any good manners, this one comes highly recommended!

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Felix on April 30, 2019.

No need to panic, I agree. We do not need any kind of academic discussion whether lyrics like "Death, speed and hell metal... blood, sex, hell and metal, legacy of the angel rebel" make sense. I am also not interested in starting a debate about the artistic value of the ludicrous artwork. But I can promise that every black thrash maniac will enjoy the here offered tracks, regardless of lyrics, artwork and furthermore or less irrelevant details. The Serbian unit plays straight, well flowing metal which does not need 20 listening sessions to be understood. Bands like Omega from Greece or Witchburner from Germany come to my mind as soon as the first regular song sets in.

It's a pity that In the Name of Hell features only three songs of the band. The intro does what a proper intro has to do, it creates an eerie atmosphere and the cover version at the end of the running order blends seamlessly with the further songs. It could be a composition of the Serbians as well. Nevertheless, let's put the focus on the three pieces between the intro and the closer. First of all, they are well produced. They convey a vile feeling, do not lack an adequate portion of filth and avoid signs of flaccidity successfully. The guitars combine sharpness with pressure. They dominate the sound and that's the way it should be. But don't be alarmed, this does not mean that the malicious and slightly deranged vocals fall by the wayside.

The riffs hit the bull's eye. They have an impact without being too primitive. Of course, complexity is not on the agenda - Terrörhammer know that their German umlaut "ö" is mission and burden at the same time. The spirit of Motörhead is not too far away. Lemmy (R.I.P.) raises his vodka-filled glass in heaven (or hell), albeit the Balkans warriors prefer an uglier sound than the last albums of the legendary three-piece of Mr. Kilmister. Be that as it may, I am not able to find great differences between "Riding on a Devil's Storm", "The Powers of Darkness" and "Hell Metal". Okay, small restriction: the last-named number depicts doubtlessly that the approach of Terrörhammer is able to carry their tracks safely over the six-minutes-mark. That's no matter of course in this musical niche, if I am not mistaken.

The musicians are aware of the fact that tempo changes are not forbidden, but they do not see many reasons to integrate them into their songs. Thus, the material is taking its route with more or less constant speed. So, from my side, there is nothing to complain. Terrörhammer do not start a musical revolution in view of their bone-dry approach. Doubtlessly, they are not suspicious to be "the next big thing", but fans of the sub-genre know that other parameters are of higher value. Therefore, I am convinced that many freaks would enjoy further publications of this band. After the split of Omega and in view of the silence of Witchburner (no new output since 2013), we need more bands that play this great, down-to-earth style of metal.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10