Long considered one of the crown jewels of the Nifelheim discography, Devil's Force, originally released in 1997 (and now being reissued by Regain Records), sees the trio of Hellbutcher (infernal deathvomits), Tyrant (bestial cruelty), and Demon (pounding disaster), joined by guitarists Jon Nodtveidt (Dissection) and John Zwetsloot for nine tracks of pulverizing, raw, Swedish black metal. Though Devil's Force is by no means what you would consider a classic black metal record, there's a certain charm about Nifelheim's brand of no-nonsense, Motorhead-meets-Hellhammer-meets-Venom-meets-Bathory style of extreme metal. Tracks such as the relentless "Desecration of the Dead" or the bludgeoning 'The Final Slaughter" contain no shortage of vicious, slashing riffs and relentless drum blasts, Hellbutcher's screams and growls certainly fright enducing and adding a menacing tone. As with much of their output though, by the time you get mid-way through Devil's Force, many of the songs start to sound interchangeable, but despite that, and perhaps this is thanks to the solid guitar skills of Nodtveidt and Zwetsloot, there's a certain NWOBHM element going on here that's a real plus in these otherwise maniacal black metal tunes. "Demonic Evil" and especially "Satanic Mass" contain plenty of galloping arrangements that not only recall the early NWOBHM scene but also the early thrash sounds coming from the Bay Area. Have to give these guys credit as well for unleashing a track of such demonic onslaught that is "Hellish Blasphemy", a piece that rivals Marduk and Dark Funeral for its brutal intensity.
All in all, Devil's Force is solid for what it is, which is a decent slab of raw, 90's Swedish black metal. This reissue remains faithful to the original album complete with plenty of photos and an essay about the band.
Track Listing
1) Deathstrike From Hell
2) The Final Slaughter
3) Desecration of the Dead
4) Demonic Evil
5) Satanic Mass
6) Soldier of Satan
7) Devil's Force
8) Hellish Blasphemy
9) Witches Sabbat
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