Review Summary: Hell Yeah Bound
War metal is one of those extreme metal genres that’s inherently a bit self-limiting. Aspiring musicians can decide whether they want to be a Blasphemy doppelganger, follow the groovy cloven footsteps of bands like Archgoat, or dissipate into the caustic fumes of grind or noise. Some bands like Antichrist Siege Machine choose to throw all those corrosive influences in a giant demonic Vitamix and see what pours out afterwards. If you’re familiar with this Virginia duo’s gloriously hellish slurry, then there aren't really many surprises to be found on their latest demo, but it’s just done so damn well.
At its heart, this demo is still very much an ASM release, but with the groove dialed up. The duo has always had a penchant for leaning into the grind influences of war metal, and that’s still true here. But this outing is noticeably riffier. Just check out the intro to “Cyclic Dehumanization” or the latter half of “Storm Chariot” for some perfect examples, or the excellent cover of Pentagram’s “Live Free and Burn” that bookends the snappy quarter-hour demo.
While the grind and classic war metal elements are still heavily featured on the middle three tracks – “Sacral Violence,” “Apocalyptic Despair” and their classic track “Conqueror Shadow” – the bolstering of the band’s death metal elements makes for a neck-snappingly groovy little foray. The production on this demo leans that direction too. Eschewing the brick wall production found on their last full length, ASM sounds downright cavernous and pummeling here. The riffs and leads are reasonably easy to pick out when they’re meant to be, and the chaotic passages sound dense and menacing. Also, I have to note that the toms are mic’d HOT, which makes for punchy wakeup calls scattered throughout the demo.
I really hope that ASM continues to pursue this line of songwriting on a future release, and I hope that record is coming soon. If the band’s history is any indicator, then there’s a good chance that a new album will be forthcoming either this year or next. With a demo this strong, I’m predicting good things. So if you want a peek into the future of war metal, give this a listen.
