UK Thrash Metal Band, Hellbastard's latest release, The Need To Kill (Selfmadegod Records) leaves much to be desired. This post Thrash release has not much to offer that has not already been done before and done better. Hellbastard apparently are the band that coined the genre, "Crust-Punk" and to be honest I have never ever heard this type or genre before. But if they came up with their own genre reference they must be good, right? Hmm?!?
The CD title The Need To Kill, along with the bands silly moniker sets the mind a racing to what could be in store and what is delivered is pretty much what I would have guessed. A 2009 record that sounds like a 1986 low level Thrash Metal record from an obscure band that you were told was to be the next big thing. While strikingly intense, fast and heavy, Hellbastard have managed to have 14 songs that are all on the border of being completely boring. Hellbastard do manage at moments to have the odd riff that resembles an old Anthrax or Sepultura one, while kick drums have that clappy, "snap and pop" that Vinnie Paul of Pantera made famous, but even in trying to replicate that drum tone, they managed to mess that up. The bass drums are SO loud that they over modulate and break up in the speakers and are also TOO up front in the mix of the record that they are almost the focal part of the songs, so much so that they are a distraction to the overall songs. And this is coming from a huge drummer enthusiast! It is just too much. But this is the overall feeling from Hellbastard, they are just too much and not in a good way. There is nothing in any of these songs that pull you out of being bored and grabs your attention and MAKES you listen, not a one.
While over aggressive and heavy, The Need To Kill will more likely slay you to sleep then make you all hyped and raring to go. There are plenty of breakdown, moshing sections here, as well as some lighter touches thrown in for good measure. Hellbastard even tries to shake things up a bit with some touches of banjo in the song "Anthropological Angst" for what I guess is to show some sort of musical depth, but it falls short. But perhaps I'm expecting too much from these guys. With a name like Hellbastard, I could have been expecting very much in the way of musical exploration. But this is just a boring record, though they do get a point for being aggressive!
Tracklist
01. Cheyne Stoking (2:55)
02. Going Postal (3:50)
03. Anthropological Angst Stop Your Whining Anthropological Angest III (4:12)
04. Murder Workshop (0:16)
05. Stressed (4:28)
06. Fir Bolg Bow To Slough Feg (3:28)
07. My Best Friend (1:04)
08. Big Business Pig Hole (3:47)
09. Justly Executed (3:56)
10. The Pylons (3:12)
11. Afrikkan Beggar (3:56)
12. They Brought Death (7:37)
13. Heading For Infernal Darkness (3:01)
14. Death Camp (3:11)
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