Review by Felix on July 15, 2020.

It took exactly the first three seconds of the opener 'Fellowship of Rats' – and then I added Mortal Infinity on my (admittedly very long) list of favourite bands. This outbreak of ravenous ferocity bursts out of the speakers with the maximum of energy, violence and harshness. It draws me into the output immediately. Honestly speaking, I didn’t know that Hofbräuhaus-Bavarians can be that angry! And the highly exciting curtain-raiser is just the beginning of an extremely dynamic collection of high-speed bullets and mid-paced vulgarities.

The riffs hit the listener like a whip gone mad while a few (almost) melodic parts reveal a fine instinct for harmonies, the drums do not shy away from the highest tempos, the lead vocalist leaves no doubt that he wants to ruin his vocal chords as soon as possible and the partly menacing atmosphere adds the finishing touch. These guys know the stylistic homeland of original thrash, even though the (a little bit too) modern production tries to disguise this fact. Don’t worry, the album does not fall victim to emotionless sterility, but the mix also has not much in common with the rather warm sounds of the eighties. Or is this just my nostalgic vision? “Bonded by Blood” also did not come up with a comfortable dose of warmness, if I am not mistaken. Mortal Infinity are even more vehement than the majority of the hardly beatable pioneers without touching the outposts of death metal. Okay, sometimes the lead singer – pay attention to his fervent introduction of the fantastic 'Misanthropic Collapse' – rather growls than shouts his lines, but the basic element of In Cold Blood is razor-sharp thrash metal, no doubt about it. These guys pay tribute to the God of thrash and he forgives them the occasional use of keyboards, because they are far away from shaping the album. Instead, he smiles to rockets such as 'Devastator, Devastated' or the title track.

Mortal Infinity shoot their material with gigantic cannons into the (unfortunately only imaginary) crowd. One must be dead if one does not feel the enthusiasm, passion and idealism of the five guys who have released this material digitally on their own. It’s therefore a shame that their collection of killers obviously fell on deaf ears. F**k the industry, the independent labels and everybody else who did not sign these creators of pulse-quickening thrash. Equipped with an appropriate deal, this album would not revolutionize but, much better, revitalize the global thrash community from the bottom up. Believe me, if you have left the first 50 years of your life behind you, you need a reanimation from time to time. I speak from experience.

Another intriguing detail is that each and every riff of the slicing, ripping, shredding and cutting guitars sounds absolutely fresh. As far as I can see, there are no obvious influences of a specific thrash band that left its mark on the approach of the band. Nevertheless, pretty unexpected is that the guitars of 'Repulsive Messiah' or 'Silent Assassin (Champion of War)' sound like Bolt Thrower on thrash…. Anyway, Mortal Infinity can be compared with bands such as Dew-Scented in terms of fury, but they stand on their own feet. Moreover, it seems nobody can bring them down, not even the deaf-dumb-blind record companies. Maybe the world is simply unjust and pure, intense, furious and mind-bending thrash metal is the real new underground music. But if this is the case, be aware that Mortal Infinity are among the idealistic heroes of the underground. Even though two or three (good) pieces do not fulfil the highest expectation, there are not many options how to pen a better thrash album.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Jeger on July 4, 2024.

Norwegian black metal: Darkthrone, Satyricon, Gorgoroth and Emperor - just a few of the BM heavyweights who call Norge home. Venture a bit deeper into hallowed scene soil and you’ll discover the truest Norwegian black metal as created by heritage and country-honoring projects such as Taake and Kampfar. All bands you think of whenever someone mentions Norwegian black metal, but what if I told you there was something out there a little deadlier, sexier even? Like the blackened gloss of a freshly glazed engine running smooth, loose and clean; propelling your blackened soul through death-laden pathways toward a cataclysmic future for Norwegian blackened metal. Strap yourself into retaliation’s pillion now and kickstart the motor, because Ulvehunger have arrived… 

Norway’s Ulvehunger - the latest and probably the most brutal project to have ever had one Frost’s (Satyricon, 1349) contribution. Death Black! And comprised of all things cutting edge from quality in product to dynamic range is Ulvehunger’s long-awaited debut Retaliation LP, unleashed on May 31st, 2024 via the maledictive Darkness Shall Rise Productions. 

With Retaliation, Ulvehunger cut through the bullshit and deliver the evil: blackened vocals, chopping riffs and just an overall end of days Vader and Possessed type of atmosphere as conveyed throughout the entirety of the recording. Smooth and appealing like Damascus steel are album cuts like the opener, 'Desecrator' and the following track, 'Sacrifice', as each number unfolds to the momentum of blast-beats, rolling double-bass currents, striking leads and merciless onslaughts of tempestuous riffing incursions. No dry buzz, no recorded in an abandoned basement vibes and no Burzum worship. Retaliation is for the contemporary black metal enthusiast who understands that some BM is deserving of all the luxurious sonic trim. This isn’t “A Blaze In the Northern Sky” we’re talking here, and I can imagine Ulvehunger being quite the welcomed change of pace for all genre-crossing veterans involved. 

A classically lain out work of old-school proportions as far as track arrangement and runtime; ten cuts clocking in at about four minutes in duration a piece except for the closing track, 'Covenant Of Pestilence', that properly plays out a bit longer. Ear candy melodic passages, ethereal leads and gritty black & roll swagger to define 'Castles Of Blood' in all of its classic Satyricon/Immortal-worshipping glory. Much to take in from start to finish as each track unfurls passage after captivating passage set to a variety of traditional sounds from the aforementioned black & roll vibes to some straight up death metal peppered in here and there and even a little thrash-happy riffage, particularly during the opening minutes to 'Forces Of Doom'. 

Not sure what these guys were aiming for here outside of putting together a record that’s just too big for black metal alone. Unbridled death worship through and through but not without a taste of the diabolical as well. 'The Mighty Pentagram' like some old-school Blasphemy - sick and grimy - brutality incarnate with a touch of Entombed - “Wolverine Blues” level groove. I mentioned Frost is a member of this band, right? His talents are matched, unlike his other ventures where it just feels like he’s having to dumb it down a bit (clears throat, Satyricon!). Like a well-oiled machine with each component serving the next and fluid like a piston is each brilliant passage - powerful but without the inertia of conventional blackened death metal i.e., Belphegor, Behemoth and Hate. Contemporary Norwegian brutality that tantalizes all your black metal sweet spots, all the while as you’re reminded of why you got into death metal in the first place. A very strong debut. 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10