Band: Hail Of Bullets

Title: … Of Frost And War

Label: Metal Blade Records

Distribution: Rough Trade – Metal Blade R.

Release date: 19/05/2008

Review: CD

The denomination ‘super-band’ doesn’t necessarily stand for super-music. Yet in the case of Hail Of Bullets it certainly does. Hail Of Bullets was formed at the end of 2006 by some guys that belong to the absolute top of the Dutch, excuse me, international Death Metal scene since the beginning of, well, extreme music: guitar players Stephan Gebédy ( Thanatos, Legion, Church Of Indulgence) and Paul Baayens ( Asphyx, Cremation, Thanatos), growler Martin van Drunen (Pestilence, Death By Dawn, Asphyx, Bolt Thrower, Project Tabun etc), bass player Theo van Eekelen (Sinister, Thanatos, Houwitser, Judgement Day) and drummer Ed Warby ( Gorefest; and session for bands as Demiurg, After Forever, Star One, Thanatos, Elegy, Ayreon and so on). To express, and to honour, their mutual love for old school Death Metal, they decided, during an intense drinking session, to start a formation with the goal only to perform ultra-heavy material that pays tribute to the early days. With the assistance and support of Dan Swanö, indeed, one of Sweden’s most important persons when it comes to old school Death Metal, Hail Of Bullets got signed to Metal Blade, and … Of Frost And War is the fist in the face of God for the real adepts! After a somewhat symphonic intro, sweet and floating (what a contradiction to the music!), Hail Of Bullets bring slow to mid-tempo Death Metal with the finest old school atmosphere in years. The influences of the members’ own bands are important and pretty evident, yet also bands as, for example, Edge Of Sanity, Autopsy / Abscess, Fleshcrawl, Obituary, early Death and Grave may have been of influence. The members all are involved with nice to splendid bands, yet this effort exceeds all boundaries. … Of Frost And War can’t be considered renewing, and I know that the old school is gaining a certain popularity too lately (with some excellent, yet also many f* cking releases), yet this warlike album certainly is one of the best releases in this genre since, well, since the ‘new’ old school revival started. Excellent!

95/100

Ivan Tibos.