Time for an album review.
I got this from the industrial label Van Richter Records which I’ve always been a fan of since the early 90′s through today. I wasn’t sure they were still going but low and behold got an email with a link to this compilation for them! I’ve heard of most of the artists on this compilation but the one that stood out to me the most was Underwater Pilots, mainly because of their well done cover of Ministry‘s “Every Day is Halloween” which is a favorite of mine since I first heard it. Any who, here is the low down on this release.
As I was doing research on the compilation on the Van Richter Records website they suggested that this album would be a great companion for a Halloween party and you know what folks, not only are they right about that but listening to this on Halloween whilst in costume with all of your friends will make you dead sexy too! Most of the tracks on here are either inspired by horror films or have elements that could be used in horror films and that my friends is a good thing. The first track is a sound-scape from the “German Ministry” Testify and their track “Future Lust”. It sets the tone of the compilation and lets you know what you’ll be getting with this collection of 12 songs. After their sound scape you get a taste of what Testify is known for and why they get the nom de plum of the “German Ministry” with their song “Seeds of Wrath”, danceable beats with heavy distorted guitars on the choruses, I have a feeling that this song in it’s not so remixed version by the Chicago legends Die Warzau may not be this beat heavy, but who cares when you listen to this track it’s all fun and games in your best scary outfit!
The Fair Sex shows up next with their own brand of Industrial music via our friends up north in Vancouver or better known as Skinny Puppy. I can hear a lot of the same tonal qualities between The Fair Sex and Skinny Puppy, but The Fair Sex seems to take older Skinny Puppy and make it that much more accessible. The track doesn’t reach out and grab me by the throat but I also wouldn’t skip it if it randomly comes up on the iPod while I’m doing something else. I was expecting something really cool with Plastic Noise Experience‘s cover of Motorhead‘s theme song to Hellraiser III but was kind of let down, despite the cool Hellraiser samples the track seems flat in production compared to the other bands songs on this entire compilation.
Sielwolf checks in next with their homage to Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer with their track “The Gun’s Eye”. It’s a cool atmospheric track with samples from the film peppered in through the mix. Beyond the recognition of Michael Rooker’s voice casual fans probably wouldn’t get much out of the track but I found it fun to hear those samples against a back drop of a sound collage. The comp takes a bit of a lull for me with the track by Death and Horror Inc. called “New Vision” in fact it was so minimal that I didn’t even right a note down for this one. Then I was brought right back into it with a track from Girls Under Glass called “New World Order” which sounds amazing. It starts out with kind of old school industrial feel and then crashes into a full on goth rock anthem ala The Sisters of Mercy. I think perhaps I enjoyed this track as much as I enjoy the Ministry cover by Underwater Pilots. Then Girls Under Glass win me over again with their side project Trauma and their track “The Last Rose” that could easily fit into the world of Suspiria directed by Dario Argento and boasting a score my the MIGHTY GOBLIN! It’s an incredible feat to conjure images in my mind of the beautiful and haunting horror film from arguably one of the greatest horror films ever to come out of Italy and one of the greatest progressive synth bands ever to grace this planet. Kudos to them and kudos to the atmosphere they create with this track.
Three of the last four tracks on the album tend to run together, two of which are by Underwater Pilots and the third is by The Fair Sex again. Each is a sound-scape and each one is OK but not totally sound changing but Underwater Pilots cover of Ministry’s “Every Day is Halloween” as I’ve said before is just simply amazing and really well done. The production is amazing and it sounds great and adds a really interesting take on the song, more in lines with the original with more of a future pop direction.
When it’s all said and done Hellfire is a decent listen, probably not one that people will dig out all the time but it would be a great mood setter for a Halloween party or a spooky get together. I recommend you check it out!
Hellfire at Van Richter Records.
Posted under Album Review, Music
This post was written by Gabe Wilkinson on April 12, 2011
