Hammer Smashed Radio Birthday Compilation
We were recently contacted by Jeremy to let us know that Ottawa based, Hammer Smashed Radio, has released a FREE download compilation to celebrate their fourth birthday. The compilation includes tracks from six different bands, all from the more extreme/death metal spectrum of metal, and is available to download for free from their bandcamp page. As such, I figured it was only right I see what was on offer from the scene over on those shores.
Opening with Through Despair from Denounced things get off to a heavy and distorted start from the off, kicking into a blast beat filled section of raucous guitars, roaring vocals and hammering bass lines, all strung together with an intricate lead line designed to fully complete the mix. Throwing into a fast paced section of roaring vocals and hammering drums, this is music which is going to get live crowds destroying venues and everyone else around them – one word – this is awesome! Fast paced, guttural roaring, hammering drumming, insane guitar work and a rumbling bass line, this track has got it all, and is a hell of an opening to a compilation album!
Moving into The Crows Know Something by From The Deep, the theme of all out power and distortion continues, once again building into the track through some distorted guitar work before letting loose and throwing down into a double bass fuelled track of sheer aggression. Once again, this track is a demonstration of just how advanced this genre is, moving away from the (incorrect) preconception that death or extreme metal is simply noise and instead treating you to some intricately put together, powerful music. The roaring matches the aggression of the guitar work, the guitars matching the drums and the bass adding further to everything, once again forming a track which is as heavy as they come, but full of moments which are going to keep you listening! At 9 minutes long, this is more of a journey than a simple track, but take the time to listen to it and you’ll be in for a treat, moving through the track like movements of a carefully designed opera and leaving you gasping for more as the track finally comes to a close.
Stabbed in the Dick from Accursed Spawn soon leaves all memory of the symphonic movements of the previous track as dust, throwing straight into a hammering track of sheer power, drawing influence from death metal from all over the world to create a track which would happily sit alongside their peers. Raw and powerful from the off, this is the death metal I know and love, slow, guttural and full of rolling drumming, all forming something which is more chanted than anything and gets you banging your head windmill style from the off. I think it’s a give away when you get a track with a name like this that it’s not going to be music for your grandma, but hey, personally, this is right up my street.
History Repeats Itself from Insurrection is a serious highpoint on this album and suggests that these guys are going to be one to look out for on the metal scene. Launching into a track which can only be described as a distorted triumph, this one has everything you could possibly want and need from a track, raw vocals, fast paced drums and guitar lines which are going to leave your eyeballs sweating. Working through the different sections of the track, this here is circle pit territory, but not the nice fluffy ones that the kids these days seem to think are hardcore, this is going to get pits forming which are going to leave people dead in their wake – get over to the UK and get touring!
Means of Extinction from Deamon is another moment on the album which is going to leave you dumbfounded and questioning why you’ve not heard these guys before, opening as they mean to go on and not letting up until the moment the track comes to a close. You want heavy, this is it – this is extreme death metal done well. Harking back to the likes of Napalm Death and the like, this track has all of the hallmarks of being one of those tracks which you come back to time and time again in moments of anger, oozing with aggression and full of power for its entire 2:46.
Finishing the album with Transparent Monstrosities by Immersed there’s no doubt in my mind that I need to get over to Canada to check out the scene. This is a hell of an ending to a compilation and leaves you a gibbering wreck on the floor, absorbing all of the power from the final moments and clawing for the rewind button just to go through it all again. Once again demonstrating that death metal is a genre which is full of technique and power, this track should destroy anyones doubts in the genre and leave you wanting more – it’s almost like the crescendo of the album if you will, finishing on one almighty high!
I’ve always been a fan of the death metal spectrum of music, and all too often I think that it’s dismissed as pure noise or just aggression. What you’ve got here though is 6 bands, all of whom have crafted tracks which destroy that illusion, forming songs which are technically advanced and full of instrumental technique akin to the most advanced bands out there. Sure there’s going to be doubters out there, but for those with an open mind, considering this album is free – this is a hell of an album and has given me 6 new bands that I know I’m going to be listening to!
Check out the album for yourself HERE, then get out and show the bands some love!
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening with Through Despair from Denounced things get off to a heavy and distorted start from the off, kicking into a blast beat filled section of raucous guitars, roaring vocals and hammering bass lines, all strung together with an intricate lead line designed to fully complete the mix. Throwing into a fast paced section of roaring vocals and hammering drums, this is music which is going to get live crowds destroying venues and everyone else around them – one word – this is awesome! Fast paced, guttural roaring, hammering drumming, insane guitar work and a rumbling bass line, this track has got it all, and is a hell of an opening to a compilation album!
Moving into The Crows Know Something by From The Deep, the theme of all out power and distortion continues, once again building into the track through some distorted guitar work before letting loose and throwing down into a double bass fuelled track of sheer aggression. Once again, this track is a demonstration of just how advanced this genre is, moving away from the (incorrect) preconception that death or extreme metal is simply noise and instead treating you to some intricately put together, powerful music. The roaring matches the aggression of the guitar work, the guitars matching the drums and the bass adding further to everything, once again forming a track which is as heavy as they come, but full of moments which are going to keep you listening! At 9 minutes long, this is more of a journey than a simple track, but take the time to listen to it and you’ll be in for a treat, moving through the track like movements of a carefully designed opera and leaving you gasping for more as the track finally comes to a close.
Stabbed in the Dick from Accursed Spawn soon leaves all memory of the symphonic movements of the previous track as dust, throwing straight into a hammering track of sheer power, drawing influence from death metal from all over the world to create a track which would happily sit alongside their peers. Raw and powerful from the off, this is the death metal I know and love, slow, guttural and full of rolling drumming, all forming something which is more chanted than anything and gets you banging your head windmill style from the off. I think it’s a give away when you get a track with a name like this that it’s not going to be music for your grandma, but hey, personally, this is right up my street.
History Repeats Itself from Insurrection is a serious highpoint on this album and suggests that these guys are going to be one to look out for on the metal scene. Launching into a track which can only be described as a distorted triumph, this one has everything you could possibly want and need from a track, raw vocals, fast paced drums and guitar lines which are going to leave your eyeballs sweating. Working through the different sections of the track, this here is circle pit territory, but not the nice fluffy ones that the kids these days seem to think are hardcore, this is going to get pits forming which are going to leave people dead in their wake – get over to the UK and get touring!
Means of Extinction from Deamon is another moment on the album which is going to leave you dumbfounded and questioning why you’ve not heard these guys before, opening as they mean to go on and not letting up until the moment the track comes to a close. You want heavy, this is it – this is extreme death metal done well. Harking back to the likes of Napalm Death and the like, this track has all of the hallmarks of being one of those tracks which you come back to time and time again in moments of anger, oozing with aggression and full of power for its entire 2:46.
Finishing the album with Transparent Monstrosities by Immersed there’s no doubt in my mind that I need to get over to Canada to check out the scene. This is a hell of an ending to a compilation and leaves you a gibbering wreck on the floor, absorbing all of the power from the final moments and clawing for the rewind button just to go through it all again. Once again demonstrating that death metal is a genre which is full of technique and power, this track should destroy anyones doubts in the genre and leave you wanting more – it’s almost like the crescendo of the album if you will, finishing on one almighty high!
I’ve always been a fan of the death metal spectrum of music, and all too often I think that it’s dismissed as pure noise or just aggression. What you’ve got here though is 6 bands, all of whom have crafted tracks which destroy that illusion, forming songs which are technically advanced and full of instrumental technique akin to the most advanced bands out there. Sure there’s going to be doubters out there, but for those with an open mind, considering this album is free – this is a hell of an album and has given me 6 new bands that I know I’m going to be listening to!
Check out the album for yourself HERE, then get out and show the bands some love!
Words: Dave Nicholls