I’ve always appreciated and admired the Italian metal scene and especially when it comes to the death metal spectrum of all things. Helslave is a band I’ve heard many good things from everyone on social media and let me say this, From The Sulphur Depths is everything a death metal fan like myself have been wanting for a very longtime. Released on Pulverised Records, this is the sophomore full-length and is the continuation to their debut record in 2015 titled An Endless Path which was a album demonstrating the band that they weren’t afraid to mess and experiment different components and signatures to the music making it a diverse listening experience. However, From The Sulphur Depths is a onslaught of nonstop, relentless headbanging record front to back and needlessly to say, this is such a massive improvement over the debut both musically, lyrically and sonically speaking. 37 minutes of pure extreme metal goodness as the band have taken leaps and bounds to have the record as consistent, brutalized and structured as possible.
Lyrically, Helslave’s lyrical content have been developing some interesting theories and subject matter including the apocalypse, esotericism, necromancy and references of anti-religious metaphors which are comprehensive and intelligent to a degree. But for the band’s style is concerned, its a broadened of different range of influences of bands I’m massive fans of whether it be capturing the HM2 sounds of Dismember and Entombed, to other bands such as Hypocrisy, Bloodbath, Amon Amarth, Grave, Sentient Horror and At The Gates to name a few which you’ll hear ministering and maddening tracks such as Last Nail in the Coffin, The Sentence of the Living, Thy Will Be Done, Unholy Graves and Rotting Pile of Flesh which these metaphorical shells discussing how the music is conceptually made up to certain musical degrees but this time, Helslave’s music featuring such monolithic tracks that will unleash carnage and chaotic craftsmanship they aren’t afraid of anything standing in their path of destruction. Between the vocals, instrumentals and production value this album delivers a brutalized force that I can rightfully imagine picturing myself hearing some old school death metal vibes preferably artists such as Evocation, Deserted Fear, Gates Of Ishtar and Lik but in a more modernized approach. Rest assure, Italy’s Helslave starts creating all sorts of madness but if you like your death metal furious, dismembered and crank full volume for a workout playlist then From The Sulphur Depths is surely worth checking out.
Overall Score: 9.5/10
Review by Jake Butler
