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EVILE
Hell Unleashed

Napalm (2021)
Rating: 7/10

The title of the new Evile opus suggests the return of a band with extra bite and maybe something to prove.

Having been around since 1999 (originally as Metal Militia), the British thrashers are somewhat veterans when it comes to the “new wave” of thrash metal which machine gunned our ears a few decades ago. Admittedly, my love affair with this “scene” has at times been frostier than a mid-90s black metal album cover, but it was Evile’s 2007 fiery debut Enter The Grave that restored my faith in a seemingly waning genre.

Since their inception, life for Evile has not been easy. The death of bassist Mike Alexander in 2009 stopped the Yorkshire lads in their tracks. Meanwhile, founding frontman Matt Drake left the ranks in 2020, with his brother and guitarist Ol Drake taking over vocal duties after returning to the ranks following his departure in 2013. But while albums would emerge in 2011 (Five Serpent’s Teeth) and 2013 (Skull), Evile was a silent entity… until now.

Hell Unleashed is a return to form somewhat, although through all of their steely thrash spoutings I’ve often found Evile’s output rather generic, and more so now with Ol Drake’s rather unspectacular frothing snaps. But hey, thrash is thrash nowadays, and there’s little out there to really grasp my attention.

As one would expect with this outing there are the flashes of speed and the more measured grooves, as showcased on opening cut ‘Paralysed’. The production is tight, scathing and at times cold somehow; not in a Teutonic sense but whereby Hell Unleashed rattles incisively but without humour, with the band, and particularly Ol Drake, snarling with intent.

‘Gore’ – featuring guest vocals form American actor and comedian Brian Posehn – chugs with deep, grinding menace before the razor wire emerges and we’re viciously sniped by the scathing guitar attack and blistering percussion, and it’s nice that Evile now vents its fury again rather than tepidly mimicking a “mature” Metallica-styled philosophy.

‘Gore’ just rattles with such devastating, war-torn speed reminiscent of later Slayer at times as another solo frazzles the ears, but here comes the downside; for me, Evile’s style is just plain dull at times as numerous songs melt into the cess pool as other similar sounding acts.

‘Incarcerated’ begins well – slow and pensive – but as is often the case the fury of speed means that Evile, through all their hard work, is just another modern thrash act lacking identity. However hard they pound (‘War Of Attrition’) or however much they shift tempo (‘Control From Above’), I’m just bored, underwhelmed and at times failing to discern one track from another – a major issue I had with much of Slayer’s latter years output.

The title track does exactly what it says on the tin – it snarls, it paces frantically and cuts deep with its vicious bass and hurtful riffs. In fact, the whole album is riddled with spiteful intent, and yet I appear unscathed – undeterred by the cover of Mortician’s ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ and the bland stylings of ‘Disorder’. Yet Evile are only doing what they do best; snapping bones, cracking heads and returning with a volatile fury of hell-bent thrash metal.

In my opinion, Evile’s new record will divide their fan base. But once the kids are in the pit and these tunes are blurted out, you’ll no doubt see a sea of hoodies flailing in sweaty worship. Hell hasn’t quite been unleashed, but Evile are most certainly back in the game.

Neil Arnold

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