RSS Feed


PRINCIPALITY OF HELL
Fire & Brimstone

W.T.C. Productions (2014)
Rating: 7.5/10

Clearly hell-bent on aping those great, satanically-blessed bands of the 80s, hellish trio Principality Of Hell combine the raging torment of Venom, Sodom, Bathory et al, the result being this oily ten-track pitch black platter. The Greek band consists of vocalist / bassist The Magus (Thou Art Lord, Necromantia), guitarist El (Thou Art Lord, Soulskinner) and drummer J. Maelstrom (Thou Art Lord, Ravencult, Dodsferd).

Now, I’m not gonna beat about the burning bush with this one. This is a decent record that comes pumped up, denim-clad and devil-horned and in spite of its complete unoriginality and its aim to revive the still lapping flames of the early to mid 80s, it’s a record one can enjoy without having to think too much.

It’s a smoking, choking record that wouldn’t seem out of place on one of those old Speed Kills albums; great compilation records that introduced me to the likes of Slayer, Bathory, Voivod, Destruction, Celtic Frost, Bulldozer etc. It’s fair to say that on Fire & Brimstone these guys have clearly become under the influence. It’s a smouldering slab of black ’n’ roll that also seems joined at the hip with the current Darkthrone vibe when it comes to gravelled vocals, black slithering riffs, simple yet clanking punked up drumming, and all manner of infernal offerings and diabolical summoning.

It’s a straight, fiery run of the mill opus, but one that mixes rusty speed with sinister lower tempo moments which evoke Venom at their most devilish and devious while waltzing hand in hand with early Voivod and the likes. The vocal sneers are the sort which Cronos (Venom) made his own aeons ago, but for those of you who like the morbid rattle and musty, atmospheric air of old Sodom, well, this is the ideal coven to join.

The trio wade through thick black waters in the form of ‘Codex Inferno’, ‘The Bleeding Nun’ – with its black metal chivalry – ‘Leviathan’, ‘The 9th Seal’ and a cover of the Exodus classic ‘Strike Of The Beast’. With a guitar tone lifted from some of Celtic Frost’s most sordid work, Principality Of Hell are more than happy to pay homage to that wretched band of Devil worshippers, and the doom-laden trudge continues its assault before marrying with a sturdy gallop that would shake the foundations of Hades.

Full-throttle is the demonic ‘The Witches’ Coven’, while laden with Bathory and Venom spite is the anthemic title track as The Magus hails “Black fucking metal…”. With ‘We Ride At Night’, ‘Hellfire Legions’ and ‘The Hand Of The Hangman’ completing this unsavoury line-up, there’s only one thing left to do; decapitate a ram and force your head inside that gory neck, and praise hail Satan!

Neil Arnold

<< Back to Album & EP Reviews



Related Posts via Categories
Share