Band:	Hellbutcher
Album:	Hellbutcher
Style:	Black metal, Blackened speed metal
Release date:	May 31, 2024
Guest review by:	Cynic Metalhead

01. The Sword Of Wrath
02. Perdition
03. Violent Destruction
04. Hordes Of The Horned God
05. Death's Rider
06. Possessed By The Devil's Flames
07. Satan's Power
08. Inferno's Rage

In the 90s, Nifelheim emerged as a significant force in the Swedish black metal scene, fiercely holding on to the raw, thrash-infused spirit of the earliest days of the genre. After the split of Nifelheim, frontman Hellbutcher wanted to establish his own identity, playing his own unique vision of metal. Together with guitarist Necrophiliac (Mordant), bassist Eld (Iron Beast), and Martin Axenrot (Bloodbath, Opeth), he formed the band Hellbutcher.

The defining traits of Hellbutcher lie in its dynamic composition, the smooth flow between tracks, and an impressively crisp, almost polished production. Unsurprisingly, the mastermind's affiliation with his former band is reflected in the album. What sets them apart, however, is their immediate accessibility—these tracks hook the listener from the very outset without suffering from a single gram of fat. This focused approach may explain the album’s relatively short playtime; the concentration on lean, straight song patterns permeates the whole album to a high degree.

The quintet didn't cook up weaker tracks, but conversely it is hard to pinpoint standouts, even though the album rumbles for 30 minutes full of relentless sonic onslaught, with venomous growls, screams and shrieks coming from the frontman. Old schoolers will envy the approach despite the occasional appearance of repetitive parts. Among the inferno, "Hordes Of The Horned God" can be considered right at home as Mr. Hellbutcher’s favorite tune. It opens with a powerful, Maiden-esque lead, quickly yielding to layers of burning friction before breaking into a more rhythmic, bouncy centerpiece that crushes right through the park.

Hellbutcher trudges on familiar ground; most of the tracks are faster, straight pedal-to-the-metal with a splash of thrash elements thrown in here and there. However, longer unrelenting tunes carve out space for atmosphere that adds weight to the overall assault, like "Hordes Of The Horned God". "Violent Destruction" makes a quick but effective statement with its screaming guitar leads and a memorable chorus, followed by "Possessed By The Devil’s Flames" spitting more fire to the leads. This brings me now to the best track of the album; "Satan’s Power” pulls out explosive M16-riffage, keeping the environment energetic and absolutely chaotic.

We’ve long known that there’s no need to reinvent the wheel unless you have something truly compelling to offer. Hellbutcher doesn’t attempt to reshape the genre, but instead thrives by embodying a potent blend of death and thrash metal. This isn’t about innovation for the sake of it—it’s about channeling the ferocity of both genres into a malevolent, punishing force, and Hellbutcher does exactly that with potent force.

Hellbutcher or Hypebutcher? Let's see what rolls out for you.

Highlights: “Satan’s Power” and "Hordes Of The Horned God"