Hammr-Unholy Destruction

Hells Headbangers Records
2018

Formed in 2013 and originally known as Schizoid Hammer up until 2015, Cleveland, Ohio's Hammr (sic) is a one-man black/speed/punk metal band that has one EP, one demo, and this full-length album to it's name. J. Hammer (Devils, Outline, ex-Demona) is the main-man behind the magic mirror and band's such as Venom, Celtic Frost, Iron Angel, (early) Slayer, Discharge, (early) Bathory, and Sodom serve as the inspiration. Lead solos come courtesy of Midnight's Commander Vanik (who also mixed the album) and the album was mastered by none other than Joel Grind (Toxic Holocaust)! Self-dubbed "satanic speed", Hammr is (blood-dripping) raw black metal/underground speed that has been spiked with the last dying breath of dive-bar punk. Naturally, that makes "Unholy Destruction" a must-have recording...especially if you are a fan of the aforementioned Midnight!

Midnight-Sweet death and ecstasy

*Note- This is a review of the single disc version which is jus the new material, there is also a  two disc version where the second disc is rehearsal songs done before a show in 2015.

2017
Hell's Headbangers

Cleveland's Midnight returns under leadership of their main man the hooded Athenar. This band has been around for almost a decade and a half and have a number of releases once you add up all the singles and split albums with other artists. This release isn't anything you haven't heard from this act as they've hid the fact they love NWOBHM and very early black metal and early thrash. In fact they wear the old style metal badge high as they race through these tracks evoking in me memories of listening to Venom, Kreator, Sodom and others thirty some years ago. I knew pretty much what was coming with I started this album up. Yet that didn't deter me from enjoying the whacky charm of this I love Satan kind of material and the just charge ahead music. Athenar is obviously a fan of this kind of music he likely first got into and he's doing a good job of honoring this style with his version of this simple yet explosive old school metal. Rabid! and Poison Trash may have been just two of favorites but to be honest the whole album had me wishing I still had hair and my old patch covered denim jacket. Yes, I've heard much of this before but that doesn't away from it being a fairly well crafted piece of 80's inspired metal.

Midnight-No Mercy for Mayhem

e

Hells Headbangers
2014

About a week ago I was strumming through my vinyl collection when I came across Boulder's "555" and I found myself wondering what Jamie Walters was up to? And then it hit me. Wait, isn't my (One time? Current?) neighbor* doing his thing in Midnight? Sure enough and here it is. "No Mercy for Mayhem" is the latest labor of love from Jamie Walters and company and it's everything that we have come to know and expect from this crass, vile and utterly unholy Cleveland band and then some! The last time we checked in with this black n' rolled, punk speed metal band was by way of the compilation disc "Complete and Total Hell". That was 2012 though and in-between that crazy cool compilation and this full-length endeavor the band released a live album, one EP and and a cover of Venom's "Too Loud (for the Crowd)". That particular Venom cover is as good a place as any to start when discussing Midnight's role in the grand scheme of things. But, here is the thing. Seeing as Midnight draws from such a wide range of sources** and marches to the beat of it's own diabolical drummer (which, at least on the 2CD version of "No Mercy for Mayhem" that features Midnight's previously-mentioned live outing, "Alive on the Streets of Cleveland", would be SS) it's nowhere near that easy to define the who, what and where of this occult outfit. Not that it should be easy to pinpoint Midnight's sound and style! What would be the point of it all if Midnight were just to fall easily into some neat little box? Instead we should just consider who is running this lot and accept the fact that just like the other band's that Jamie (aka: Athenar) has been involved with (Mach II, Sweet Roxx, Boulder, Destructor, Terminal Lovers, Toxic Holocaust (live), Abdullah, King Travolta and Hangnail) Midnight runs things it's own way and they are all the better because of that! "No Mercy for Mayhem" is blackened speed metal and it does contain crusty old punk rock and hardcore reference marks, but it also Midnight's own (unmistakable and unholy) brand of noise! If you've heard Midnight before and dug what the band was thrash rockin' on about then you should snag and bag this new disc (preferably in the two disc format as it's all the more spicy!). If you've never experienced this band before then treed carefully. You should still buy the album (or again, the two disc CD version as it's even tastier!) and all, but I would treed carefully nonetheless! As a final note sometimes I find it amazing that a band like Midnight hails from the hometown of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For all intensive purposes Midnight destroys rock and roll and I mean that in the best way possible! But then maybe rock and roll should be destroyed? Or at least that shame of a building called The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? In it's place we could build a new "holy site" dedicated to Ohio's true saving grace, it's metal scene! And (naturally) right off the bat we would induct bands like Midnight! This time I really think I'm on to something....


*Back before Jamie (aka: Athenar as he is known in Midnight) founded this (killer) blackened speed metal project he played in Boulder (among several other bands). And as it turned out Boulder's contact information happened to be located in my hometown. And yes, It does still boggle my mind that the same (extremely cool) guy that once sent me misc. Boulder merchandise is now fronting one of the most compelling black metal bands out there!

**What I love absolutely about Midnight (besides it's front-man) is how they are able to take what are essentially some of my all-time favorite bands (Motörhead, Tank, Raven, Exciter, Venom, Mantis, (early) Metallica, Megadeath, Slayer, Possessed, (early) Sodom, ("Gates to Purgatory"/"Branded and Exiled'-era) Running Wild, Warrant (the German one duh!), Discharge, The Exploited, Carnivore and (on the newer side of things and also connected to Hells Headbangers) Speedwolf, Crucified Mortals, Tiger Junkies and Intöxicated) and (by way of mystical magic and/or occult practices) turn them into blackened metal mania!  

Free Metal Monday: Hells Headbangers-Compilation vol. 7

Home to such acts as High Spirits, Witch Cross, Tiger Junkies and Midnight (all of which, besides being  fave moments of mine/bands we've covered here at HMTM, are included on this wicked awesome digital compilation!) Hells Headbangers is a label that covers a lot of ground (genre-wise) not only with it's roster of artists, but on track-wise on "Compilation vol. 7". This freebie is simply the latest cool compilation from this very cool label and besides the already mentioned four acts this 21-track release features the likes of October 31, Children Of Technology, Nunslaughter, Cemetery Lust, Evilnight, Nocturnal Graves and Zemial! You can find it here: http://hellsheadbangers.bandcamp.com/album/free-compilation-vol-7  and, if that's not enough excitement for you, you can preview/download the previously released compilations here: http://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/freeoffers.asp

Midnight-Complete And Total Hell

Hells Headbangers
2012

After reviewing Midnight's "Satanic Royalty" back in January (and having been blown over by it) I was quite anxious to jump right into "Complete And Total Hell". The promo material sates that this is "Exactly what it says on the tin, the exhaustive, 21-track "Complete and Total Hell" collects all of MIDNIGHT's entire pre-"Satanic Royalty" back catalog, much of it long out-of-print and highly sought-after. Hear where Black Heavy Metal first became law, when MIDNIGHT began their subjugation of all subjects at the very start of their Satanically royal reign: the cult is alive and well with MIDNIGHT!". Needless to say that is pretty freaking sweet and yes, epic as all get out. Raw and primitive, Midnight play black thrash that sounds somewhat like Tank getting raped by Venom in a dark alley while hellfire rains down from the heavens. This one is not for the lightweights or, quite obviously, the weak of heart. This is grueling, pissed off, violent black thrash with enough fuzzed out punk rage to make you feel like a long hot shower is in order afterwards. Yeah, it's that good.