Hirax - Faster Than Death - review
Hirax - Faster Than Death - review
Tracklist
01. Drill Into The Brain02. Armageddon
03. Drowned Bodies
04. Faster Than Death
05. Psychiatric Ward
06. Relentless
07. Revenant
08. Warlord's Command
09. Worlds End
A review by
omne metallum February 04, 2025
In any other career, 20 minutes of output in eleven years is instant termination levels of poor, the kind of work ethic that makes George R.R. Martin look productive. When you add to this fact that half of said product already effectively exists, then it is the kind of output that Axl Rose would blush at. However, once you hit play, Hirax somehow make this work, in their own way.
Yes, metalheads, the thrash band that somehow further stripped back Motörhead's already stripped-back style return in blink-and-you-miss-it fashion, with as much material as one whole Dream Theater song. With Hirax already deciding that you'll be offered quality rather than quantity, does Faster Than Death live up to its end of the bargain as it whizzes by? Well, yes and no (why get off the fence? I can see more from up here); Hirax aren't changing their style (unlike their line-ups) but somehow manage to make something entertaining out of the sonic equivalent of the bare minimum (like what happens when you mix Red Bull and coffee), though it's hardly going to leave much of an imprint.
With tracks whipping by at a rate of knots, it is hard to distinguish and digest tracks from each other, often blurring into one another in a wail of overdriven power chords as De Pena shouts like a man possessed. While this is normally a mark against most bands, Faster Than Death makes it work to a degree (with most tracks finishing just before the average length of time most people use to decide whether they like something or not). Perhaps best exemplified when the band actually slow down (well, by their standards anyway) on "Revenant", speed may mask deficiencies but rather than leaving you squinting to try and see, the band slow down and allow for easier examination.
As has been the case for much of their career, Faster Than Death relies on the charm of its simplicity and frantic energy to engage listeners; if it hasn't taken you before, then it's doubtful it will here either, though perhaps the cleaner vocals of De Pena may hook you in, the key weapon in the band's sonic blitzkrieg arsenal.
There isn't much to sink your teeth into, but if you're on a diet, then you'll certainly get your fill.
Written on 04.02.2025 by
Written on 04.02.2025 by
Just because I don't care doesn't mean I'm not listening. Comments
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Posts: 7910 Quote: Well, Hirax after "Raging..(RV)" slowed down, not just on this album only. If you're trying to make a point of how speed here can sometimes cover up a band's flaws or weaknesses, it's been there ever since "RV" released.
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