HELL
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great_knuthulhu
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:51 pm
- Location: Norway
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Oliver/KIT
- Posts: 294
- Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:25 pm
- Contact:
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ION BRITTON
- Posts: 6645
- Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:07 pm
I guess it's cool that some people had the chance to hear a couple of tunes and they liked them, but we got to hear the songs ourselves and then decide whether they're good or bad, the comments above suggest that it's something really worthy, but unfortunately I cannot say anything until I hear it. Sorry if I am still sounding suspicious or negative, but I've learned my lessons by blindly trusting other peoples opinions especially when it comes to reunion albums and newer stuff. And I don't have a problem waiting a little bit more until the band decides it's time to post some samples online or whatever.
Good against Evil, Evil sure to win
"It really didn't matter if they liked it or not, i was going to give it to them straight down their throats" -John Stewart
"It really didn't matter if they liked it or not, i was going to give it to them straight down their throats" -John Stewart
Trust me, I know exactly what you're talking about. The only opinion anyone can really trust is their own, but I figured I would throw my two cents in anyway.ION BRITTON wrote:unfortunately I cannot say anything until I hear it. Sorry if I am still sounding suspicious or negative, but I've learned my lessons by blindly trusting other peoples opinions especially when it comes to reunion albums and newer stuff.
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ION BRITTON
- Posts: 6645
- Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:07 pm
Yeah, I'm not saying that you shouldn't say what you think about them from the moment you heard them, but IMO it's a bit silly to expect that everyone will (or much worse, must) fall down to his knees and worship the new material because the few people who heard it so far thought it's great. Personally, the only thing I can do right now is wait and see.
Good against Evil, Evil sure to win
"It really didn't matter if they liked it or not, i was going to give it to them straight down their throats" -John Stewart
"It really didn't matter if they liked it or not, i was going to give it to them straight down their throats" -John Stewart
Ah, I think everyone here knows that those sort of comments are just the overly zealous ones you get from feeling strongly about a band or album. I mean how many times has someone talked to someone about Black Metal (genre) and said "You MUST like and worship Venom, surely??". Of course there's no reason that other person should like or worship venom, but when you feel strongly enough about something you tend to get overly zealous.ION BRITTON wrote:IMO it's a bit silly to expect that everyone will (or much worse, must) fall down to his knees and worship the new material because the few people who heard it so far thought it's great.
The only real thing that matters is that it's Friday and I'm getting drunk in 8 hours
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HumanRemains
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 9:29 pm
- Location: Derbyshire, UK
Hello to all,
I just wanted to make it clear to everyone who has kindly contributed to this thread, that there are three genuine reasons why we haven't posted anything online - and I'm posting this reply because I want to completely dispel any (entirely understandable) suspicions relating to hype. I'm intensely proud of what we have done, and I would love to share it with everyone. So why don't I?..........
1 The album isn't mastered yet, we have some final (minor) tweaks and adjustments to do. The small amount of monitor-mix material out there has been provided for specific people who we know and trust not to copy it or make this as-yet-incomplete article available. The fact that these guys have kept the tracks to themselves tells us that our faith in them was completely justified - thanks for that, you know who you are.
But most importantly;
2 We're at a very delicate stage in terms of label deal negotiations, and any premature escape will really, really, REALLY fuck things up for us. After having waited this long, I'm sure you will all understand that we don't want to fall at the final hurdle.
3 Having been let down by our cover artist, we've had to completely re-do the artwork/packaging and we're keen to be able to present a 100% complete, packaged, finished album to the world because we think it deserves it. This also isn't yet complete.
It's encouraging to read the positive responses on here - and I am truly humbled and very grateful at what's been said - THANKYOU. Rich Walker's full review should be out today, and I'm looking forward to that, but in the final analysis, you'll all make up your own minds. As I seem to say on every post - vive la difference. I hope this clears things up a little.
Best to all, Kev Bower
I just wanted to make it clear to everyone who has kindly contributed to this thread, that there are three genuine reasons why we haven't posted anything online - and I'm posting this reply because I want to completely dispel any (entirely understandable) suspicions relating to hype. I'm intensely proud of what we have done, and I would love to share it with everyone. So why don't I?..........
1 The album isn't mastered yet, we have some final (minor) tweaks and adjustments to do. The small amount of monitor-mix material out there has been provided for specific people who we know and trust not to copy it or make this as-yet-incomplete article available. The fact that these guys have kept the tracks to themselves tells us that our faith in them was completely justified - thanks for that, you know who you are.
But most importantly;
2 We're at a very delicate stage in terms of label deal negotiations, and any premature escape will really, really, REALLY fuck things up for us. After having waited this long, I'm sure you will all understand that we don't want to fall at the final hurdle.
3 Having been let down by our cover artist, we've had to completely re-do the artwork/packaging and we're keen to be able to present a 100% complete, packaged, finished album to the world because we think it deserves it. This also isn't yet complete.
It's encouraging to read the positive responses on here - and I am truly humbled and very grateful at what's been said - THANKYOU. Rich Walker's full review should be out today, and I'm looking forward to that, but in the final analysis, you'll all make up your own minds. As I seem to say on every post - vive la difference. I hope this clears things up a little.
Best to all, Kev Bower
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HumanRemains
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 9:29 pm
- Location: Derbyshire, UK
Sorry for being back again so soon, but I felt the overwhelming compulsion to repost this, courtesy of Rich Walker tonight;
HELL - "Human Remains" 2010
Well, Who would have thought that 25 years after Guitar wizard Kevin Bower left HELL, and 23 years after the late, great and sorely missed David Halliday sadly took his own life, we would see a full album by the band finally realised? Not me for sure, and not all of you either I’ll wager.
Now there are a couple of things to address about this album which I’m pretty sure that most people are anxious about. Firstly and foremost, the replacement for Dave Halliday on vocals, and second the involvement of Andy Sneap in the production side, and second guitar.
As some may have heard, the replacement for Dave is none other than Kevin Bowers brother, David. Upon first listen to the album, I could not believe what I was hearing, it’s simply frightening, it’s supernatural and it’s absolutely incredible. I never thought that I would ever hear another vocalist with the same madness in his voice, but I’ll be totally 100% honest, I have now. For all intents and purposes, this is the spirit of Dave Halliday singing on this album – such is David Bower’s performance. All credit is due to Mr. Bower’s ability and skill for capturing that mood so essential to the band’s songs, the strait jacketed lunatic behind the microphone. It’s essential that the hardcore fan listens with their ears, and not with any pre-conceptions, because David Bower has no doubt put his heart and soul into this performance and I think that should anyone be disappointed then they’re not truely a fan of HELL. Herein is the greatest tribute the band could have paid to its co-founder, and one that is both heartfelt and solemn that has left me speechless on more than one occasion when playing back the album.
Of course, and I’ll admit, and this includes me, people were sceptical at Andy Sneap handling the production, I mean, the man who does Megadeth etc? I shouldn’t have to give you a history lesson, but as you SHOULD know, Dave Halliday was Andy Sneaps guitar tutor, his friend, and one of his biggest influences for SABBAT. Also, Andy also started out smaller, recording bands like my old bandmate Jim Rushby’s HARD TO SWALLOW and making all these tiny UNDERGROUND bands sound great. I think people need to get a grip and remember that Andy Sneap was there at the beginning, in the middle and will be there at the end. At his own expense he has given the band this incredible opportunity to finally bring the songs to life, to them a chance to breathe the fetid air from their rotting lungs upon all us walking corpses, who have waited so long and impatiently for this opportunity to really hear a full album from HELL. Not those classic, but bad quality tapes we all cherish, but the real thing as it should have been back in 1985 had Mausoleum Records not been so full of shit and lies.
It all adds up - Scything guitars, pummelling bass lines, crisp snare attack and a heavy as you like kick drum topped off with crystal clear vocals – the crowning glory been the keyboard samples and effects which are just immense, they make this album simply more than just music. For example, the replacement of some guitar lines by a keyboard such as in “The Oppressors” lends weight and depth to already incredible material. It’s a whole listening experience the like we haven’t heard from a British heavy metal band since Venom, Sabbath or Judas Priest in the 70’s and 80’s. Everything since then, like the comedic Cradle of Filth or laugh a minute Bal Sagoth, is pure pastiche and disposable. No one could have made this album sound as good as Mr.Sneap, and no one could have made it sound less like a modern album either. In my opinion it sounds exactly like a HELL album should sound, and how anyone could base a criticism on some half mixed fifth generation tape dubs from 1984 they’ve downloaded from the interwebs should really buy this then listen to it while inserting their heads into their own arseholes to get that same effect if they are really that bothered.
And so, what we have are 10 tracks of pure perfection, 11 if you count the intro based on the 7” B side “Deathsquad” – some interesting choices for the final album, some not expected (The inclusion of the little heard by most “No Martyrs Cage” which as far as I know was only ever played live and never recorded in the studio, or “The Oppressors”), some of course it would be a crime to leave out (“Macbeth” or “Save Us From Those who would save us”). My own personal moot point is there are no versions of “Deliver us from evil” or “Intense is the sense of doom” or “Land of the living dead”. It’s of no consequence though. As we all know, you cannot everything in this life (no matter how hard we try).The tracks themselves run joined by atmospheric interludes that create a greater sonic masterpiece, and each track as a standalone piece is worth 100 times its weight in gold (And that’s very fucking heavy) – but been the masters of their art that HELL are, they’ve opted to interweave each piece to give us something more. Really can you imagine “Plague & Fyre” or “Macbeth” without their intro’s? No, of course not. Now imagine that tenfold, and you’re getting close.
The performance by Kevin Bower and Andy Sneap on the guitars are utterly jawdropping, well, more like jawbreaking, I mean for fuck’s sake, Kevin probably hadn’t touched a guitar in over 20 years and to hear him play these riffs at such speed and precision is simply mindblowing. Then you take into account that Tim Bowler and Tony Speakman won’t have played these songs for that long either, you weigh up whats actually happening and put it into a real context. Three guys that were treading the boards before most of you reading this were born, making an absolute mockery of every supposed occult/satanic band half their age by outplaying and outclassing them in every way. It’s the Devil’s work I tell you!! And we all know where they’ll going...oh yes indeed!
Conclusion. Without sounding like a sales catalogue or a Terrorwriter, everyone needs this album, every underground metal fan worth their salt should own it. HELL are, were, and always will be the spirit of the underground, exhumed from their early grave in all their unholy majesty, dusted off and not polished, or repackaged for the modern audience, but left in their purest and most wicked form. When I hear these versions of songs like “Plague & Fyre” or “The Devil’s deadly weapon” I don’t find anything amiss, when I listen to the intro of “Blasphemy & The Master” it’s still exactly how it should be. It’s enough to make even the most blackened of hearts yield in absolute submission.
Along with TWISTED TOWER DIRE’s “make it dark” this is the essential album of 2010, probably the most essential album until the next HELL one, definitely the most essential of the past 25 years from any metal band worldwide full stop. I cannot in words alone convey my anticipation for owning this on vinyl, to finally be able to sit down with the record on the turntable, to open a beautiful gatefold sleeve which I imagine it should have, and drink deeply of the intoxicating draft HELL so willingly bestow upon us and quench my thirst again, and again, and again.
Kevin Bower, Tony Speakman, Tim Bowler, David Bower, and Andy Sneap. Miskatonic salutes you all.
Tracklisting.
1 Overture
2 On Earth As It Is In Hell
3 Plague & Fyre
4 The Oppressors
5 Blasphemy & The Master
6 Let Battle Commence
7 The Devil’s Deadly Weapon
8 The Quest
9 Macbeth
10 Save Us From Those Who Would Save Us
11 No Martyrs Cage
HELL - "Human Remains" 2010
Well, Who would have thought that 25 years after Guitar wizard Kevin Bower left HELL, and 23 years after the late, great and sorely missed David Halliday sadly took his own life, we would see a full album by the band finally realised? Not me for sure, and not all of you either I’ll wager.
Now there are a couple of things to address about this album which I’m pretty sure that most people are anxious about. Firstly and foremost, the replacement for Dave Halliday on vocals, and second the involvement of Andy Sneap in the production side, and second guitar.
As some may have heard, the replacement for Dave is none other than Kevin Bowers brother, David. Upon first listen to the album, I could not believe what I was hearing, it’s simply frightening, it’s supernatural and it’s absolutely incredible. I never thought that I would ever hear another vocalist with the same madness in his voice, but I’ll be totally 100% honest, I have now. For all intents and purposes, this is the spirit of Dave Halliday singing on this album – such is David Bower’s performance. All credit is due to Mr. Bower’s ability and skill for capturing that mood so essential to the band’s songs, the strait jacketed lunatic behind the microphone. It’s essential that the hardcore fan listens with their ears, and not with any pre-conceptions, because David Bower has no doubt put his heart and soul into this performance and I think that should anyone be disappointed then they’re not truely a fan of HELL. Herein is the greatest tribute the band could have paid to its co-founder, and one that is both heartfelt and solemn that has left me speechless on more than one occasion when playing back the album.
Of course, and I’ll admit, and this includes me, people were sceptical at Andy Sneap handling the production, I mean, the man who does Megadeth etc? I shouldn’t have to give you a history lesson, but as you SHOULD know, Dave Halliday was Andy Sneaps guitar tutor, his friend, and one of his biggest influences for SABBAT. Also, Andy also started out smaller, recording bands like my old bandmate Jim Rushby’s HARD TO SWALLOW and making all these tiny UNDERGROUND bands sound great. I think people need to get a grip and remember that Andy Sneap was there at the beginning, in the middle and will be there at the end. At his own expense he has given the band this incredible opportunity to finally bring the songs to life, to them a chance to breathe the fetid air from their rotting lungs upon all us walking corpses, who have waited so long and impatiently for this opportunity to really hear a full album from HELL. Not those classic, but bad quality tapes we all cherish, but the real thing as it should have been back in 1985 had Mausoleum Records not been so full of shit and lies.
It all adds up - Scything guitars, pummelling bass lines, crisp snare attack and a heavy as you like kick drum topped off with crystal clear vocals – the crowning glory been the keyboard samples and effects which are just immense, they make this album simply more than just music. For example, the replacement of some guitar lines by a keyboard such as in “The Oppressors” lends weight and depth to already incredible material. It’s a whole listening experience the like we haven’t heard from a British heavy metal band since Venom, Sabbath or Judas Priest in the 70’s and 80’s. Everything since then, like the comedic Cradle of Filth or laugh a minute Bal Sagoth, is pure pastiche and disposable. No one could have made this album sound as good as Mr.Sneap, and no one could have made it sound less like a modern album either. In my opinion it sounds exactly like a HELL album should sound, and how anyone could base a criticism on some half mixed fifth generation tape dubs from 1984 they’ve downloaded from the interwebs should really buy this then listen to it while inserting their heads into their own arseholes to get that same effect if they are really that bothered.
And so, what we have are 10 tracks of pure perfection, 11 if you count the intro based on the 7” B side “Deathsquad” – some interesting choices for the final album, some not expected (The inclusion of the little heard by most “No Martyrs Cage” which as far as I know was only ever played live and never recorded in the studio, or “The Oppressors”), some of course it would be a crime to leave out (“Macbeth” or “Save Us From Those who would save us”). My own personal moot point is there are no versions of “Deliver us from evil” or “Intense is the sense of doom” or “Land of the living dead”. It’s of no consequence though. As we all know, you cannot everything in this life (no matter how hard we try).The tracks themselves run joined by atmospheric interludes that create a greater sonic masterpiece, and each track as a standalone piece is worth 100 times its weight in gold (And that’s very fucking heavy) – but been the masters of their art that HELL are, they’ve opted to interweave each piece to give us something more. Really can you imagine “Plague & Fyre” or “Macbeth” without their intro’s? No, of course not. Now imagine that tenfold, and you’re getting close.
The performance by Kevin Bower and Andy Sneap on the guitars are utterly jawdropping, well, more like jawbreaking, I mean for fuck’s sake, Kevin probably hadn’t touched a guitar in over 20 years and to hear him play these riffs at such speed and precision is simply mindblowing. Then you take into account that Tim Bowler and Tony Speakman won’t have played these songs for that long either, you weigh up whats actually happening and put it into a real context. Three guys that were treading the boards before most of you reading this were born, making an absolute mockery of every supposed occult/satanic band half their age by outplaying and outclassing them in every way. It’s the Devil’s work I tell you!! And we all know where they’ll going...oh yes indeed!
Conclusion. Without sounding like a sales catalogue or a Terrorwriter, everyone needs this album, every underground metal fan worth their salt should own it. HELL are, were, and always will be the spirit of the underground, exhumed from their early grave in all their unholy majesty, dusted off and not polished, or repackaged for the modern audience, but left in their purest and most wicked form. When I hear these versions of songs like “Plague & Fyre” or “The Devil’s deadly weapon” I don’t find anything amiss, when I listen to the intro of “Blasphemy & The Master” it’s still exactly how it should be. It’s enough to make even the most blackened of hearts yield in absolute submission.
Along with TWISTED TOWER DIRE’s “make it dark” this is the essential album of 2010, probably the most essential album until the next HELL one, definitely the most essential of the past 25 years from any metal band worldwide full stop. I cannot in words alone convey my anticipation for owning this on vinyl, to finally be able to sit down with the record on the turntable, to open a beautiful gatefold sleeve which I imagine it should have, and drink deeply of the intoxicating draft HELL so willingly bestow upon us and quench my thirst again, and again, and again.
Kevin Bower, Tony Speakman, Tim Bowler, David Bower, and Andy Sneap. Miskatonic salutes you all.
Tracklisting.
1 Overture
2 On Earth As It Is In Hell
3 Plague & Fyre
4 The Oppressors
5 Blasphemy & The Master
6 Let Battle Commence
7 The Devil’s Deadly Weapon
8 The Quest
9 Macbeth
10 Save Us From Those Who Would Save Us
11 No Martyrs Cage
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MercyfulUngol
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:52 pm
This post doesn't add anything necessarily NEW to the topic, but I'm new to the place and might as well start somewhere...
Well, actually there is a bit of news to this post, and it's that of perspective. As most of you probably are fans of all the old stuff, I basically think what I've heard (only the 7", please feel free to recommend stuff you like better) is alright - but nothing more. Nothing I'd buy. The perspective of liking Andy Sneap's productions might be a bit novel here too
I've been granted access to one song from the album (Plague & Fyre) and I fucking CAN'T STOP listening to it!
The riffing and the arrangements are great, but what really earfucks me sweetly is the vocals. The voice itself is classic heavy metal. But the theatrical part is King Diamond, Martin Walkyier and Arioch rolled into one, and the emotion obviously laid into the singing makes me think of Blackie Lawless, Patrick Walker and Roky Erickson... Yes, I know the references are out of context stylewise, but never mind the surface: think of theatrics and feelings. Genuine ones.
The best of luck with finding a label!
Well, actually there is a bit of news to this post, and it's that of perspective. As most of you probably are fans of all the old stuff, I basically think what I've heard (only the 7", please feel free to recommend stuff you like better) is alright - but nothing more. Nothing I'd buy. The perspective of liking Andy Sneap's productions might be a bit novel here too
I've been granted access to one song from the album (Plague & Fyre) and I fucking CAN'T STOP listening to it!
The riffing and the arrangements are great, but what really earfucks me sweetly is the vocals. The voice itself is classic heavy metal. But the theatrical part is King Diamond, Martin Walkyier and Arioch rolled into one, and the emotion obviously laid into the singing makes me think of Blackie Lawless, Patrick Walker and Roky Erickson... Yes, I know the references are out of context stylewise, but never mind the surface: think of theatrics and feelings. Genuine ones.
The best of luck with finding a label!
I was never a religious man, so why should I put my faith in you? I'm a heathen searching for his soul.
Who originally posted that press release quoted on the metal ireland forum?
The update says:
Now I read from Kev Bower himself on Aug 6th that the album isn't mastered?
Has any label actually lived up to the bands expectations? I'm starting to think that this is just another release that's over hyped in association with miskatonic and that nothing will ever materialize..
The update says:
That was posted on May 25th.The album is finished, mixed & mastered
Now I read from Kev Bower himself on Aug 6th that the album isn't mastered?
Has any label actually lived up to the bands expectations? I'm starting to think that this is just another release that's over hyped in association with miskatonic and that nothing will ever materialize..
bigfootkit wrote:"Your Steel Is Not True"
stormspell wrote:"I hate all my releases. I only listen to Korn and Limp Bizkit, don't you know..."
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FuneralCircle
- Posts: 191
- Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:14 am
I don't think the Miskatonic Foundation has anything to do with this release, so what on Earth are you talking about...?Avenger wrote:Who originally posted that press release quoted on the metal ireland forum?
The update says:
That was posted on May 25th.The album is finished, mixed & mastered
Now I read from Kev Bower himself on Aug 6th that the album isn't mastered?
Has any label actually lived up to the bands expectations? I'm starting to think that this is just another release that's over hyped in association with miskatonic and that nothing will ever materialize..
Last edited by FuneralCircle on Thu Nov 11, 2010 11:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I never once bashed the music, as I haven't heard it yet. That would just be ignorant, so to quote your own words "what on Earth are you talking about?"FuneralCircle wrote:I got to listen to this album once fully, and I will tell you that it is without a doubt one of the best Metal albums I've ever heard. Absolutely fully realized in every way. And I don't think the Miskatonic Foundation has anything to do with this release, so what on Earth are you talking about?Avenger wrote:Who originally posted that press release quoted on the metal ireland forum?
The update says:
That was posted on May 25th.The album is finished, mixed & mastered
Now I read from Kev Bower himself on Aug 6th that the album isn't mastered?
Has any label actually lived up to the bands expectations? I'm starting to think that this is just another release that's over hyped in association with miskatonic and that nothing will ever materialize..
Obviously you haven't kept up with the history of this whole new Hell album. Miskatonic may not actually be releasing this but Rich has had a hand in the project. Regardless, this album has still not been released and like I said a while back, the band seems to have high expectations for a label that I don't think are realistic. I doubt any big label is going invest a bunch of money with touring support and the likes into a band that's released just a handful of demo material back in the 80's. Once again, I'm not bashing the new material because I honestly haven't heard it, but rather the bands business practices. When you've hyped the album and know that fans are waiting to hear it, why dick around in releasing it?
That aside, I'd still like to have someone post that can actually answer my question regarding who originally put out that press release because the information conflicts with that Kev Bower recently posted.
How far along actually is this album?
bigfootkit wrote:"Your Steel Is Not True"
stormspell wrote:"I hate all my releases. I only listen to Korn and Limp Bizkit, don't you know..."
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FuneralCircle
- Posts: 191
- Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:14 am
I wasn't saying that you were bashing the music, just that the music itself was indeed materialized and completed, I'm sorry you interpreted it that way!I never once bashed the music, as I haven't heard it yet. That would just be ignorant, so to quote your own words "what on Earth are you talking about?"
Didn't know he had any hand in it. Really, I thought he just wrote that review and that was all. I just hope it gets released soon.Obviously you haven't kept up with the history of this whole new Hell album. Miskatonic may not actually be releasing this but Rich has had a hand in the project. Regardless, this album has still not been released and like I said a while back, the band seems to have high expectations for a label that I don't think are realistic. I doubt any big label is going invest a bunch of money with touring support and the likes into a band that's released just a handful of demo material back in the 80's. Once again, I'm not bashing the new material because I honestly haven't heard it, but rather the bands business practices. When you've hyped the album and know that fans are waiting to hear it, why dick around in releasing it?