CoC : Hell-Born - Hell-Born : Review

Hell-Born - _Hell-Born_
(Pagan Records, 1996)
by: Henry Akeley (8 out of 10)

This Les guy means business! He's participated in Behemoth (briefly), the pulverizing Damnation, and now this cool project, which teams him up with ex-Behemoth drummer Ravenlock. Distinct from Damnation's mighty death-grind pummeling, the riff stylings of Hell-Born mix rusty blackened metal with mid-paced, thrashy breaks, and ominous slower sections. No really grinding parts occur, but there are still plenty of charging beats and bass drum pulsations. The material is straightforward, heavy, and memorable, and Les again displays his talent for sculpting some cool riffs out of eerie, ringing tones. (Check out "Merciless Onslaught" especially.) The guitar has a warped death metal tuning, which further adds to the music's weird pull - but what really completes the Hell-Born sound are the wicked, imperious vocal proclamations of "Hell cavalry machine gun skullcrush" performer Ravenlock. I don't tend to get excited over black/death metal lyrics, but I must say, when this guy lays down the law with sonorous, semi-spoken proclamations like:

(article published 14/7/1997)

ALBUMS
1/25/2004	J Smit	6.5	Hell-Born - Legacy of the Nephilim