Band:	Principality Of Hell
Album:	Fire & Brimstone
Style:	Blackened heavy metal, Blackened thrash metal
Release date:	August 19, 2014
A review by:	ScreamingSteelUS

01. Fire & Brimstone
02. Codex Inferno
03. The Bleeding Nun
04. We Ride At Night
05. Leviathan
06. The Witches' Coven
07. Hellfire Legions
08. The 9th Seal
09. The Hand Of The Hangman
10. Strike Of The Beast [Exodus cover]

"Principality Of Hell." That's a new one. Well, I suppose "Hel," "Hell," "The Hell," "Ov Hell," and just about all the rest are already taken. Welcome to (the principality of) hell.

Each member of this Greek trio is a veteran of other black metal projects, frontman Magus in particular being a founding member of Necromantia and Thou Art Lord, with a stint in Rotting Christ under his belt. In fact, they are all members of Thou Art Lord, as of 2012. That band's strong thrash elements make it the most spiritually similar to Principality Of Hell, who describe themselves as "black metal the old school way" and "black thrash metal of the glorious years."

Your first thought at this point should be "Venom." If not, it is now, because they have certainly captured the essence of Venom: the low production values, the uneven songwriting, the almost-cheesy sounds of Motörhead being fed through a shredder? I mean that in an endearing way, of course. Principality Of Hell might be rough around the edges (and everywhere else), but that's largely the point. The highly Venom-esque title track, followed by the Celtic Frost homage "Codex Inferno," provide an accurate indication of where this trio comes from.

Of course, operating in a post-thrash world, Principality Of Hell have the benefit of harder, faster, and heavier influences to draw on than Venom, and you will hear as much early Sepultura and Sodom as the aforementioned innovators. The Exodus cover with which Fire & Brimstone signs off drives the point home - this is more of a thrash album than anything else. Crucially, they have also deftly captured the rock and roll aggression and punk musical sensibilities of their predecessors, with elements of more recognizable black metal mixed into songs like "The Bleeding Nun" for good measure.

So Principality Of Hell isn't terribly original, and Fire & Brimstone isn't exactly earth-shattering; it's still some fast, raw, and aggressive music, and it's recognizably "black metal the old school way," so they haven't lied to you. Although the opening song is probably the best one on the album, "The Witches' Coven," "Leviathan," and "Codex Inferno" are in particular quite enjoyable.

Well, I'm off to get started on my new bands, Margraviate of Tartarus, Viscountcy of Detroit, and Eight-by-Ten-Foot Subinfeudated Allodium of That Parking Space Over There. Beneventan chant the old school way.