Damnation's Hammer – Serpent's Wrath [Hammer Of Damnation Production 2009]



Damnation's Hammer is a fairly new English band, they are now ready with their first release, the album 'Serpent's Wrath', a great trip down memory lane to the doom-laden 80ties and with a good whip and scent of the 90ties as well.

The base is in heavy and crushing guitar riffs, sweeping across the sound picture, drawing the listener into the dark and doomy universe of Damnation's Hammer. Very simplistic power riffing, but very effective as well, spiced up with some heavy melodies. The drumming is straight to the point, an aggressive snare drum, a laid back and pounding bass drum and crashing cymbals when needed. The bass keeps the rhythm in an iron grip, steady and solid as a rock.

The vocals is a chapter for itself, I don't think it is a secret that I'm into Hellhammer, early Celtic Frost and Cathedral, and Tim Preston, who also handles one of the guitars, does a perfect blend of a young Angelripper and Lee Dorian. Dark and enchanting, sucking the listener even further into the void, together with bringing the atmosphere on the record to the top.

It would be a big fat lie to say that there is anything original about this recording, as there isn't, though the lads do their impression of doom really well and with a fresh rock n' roll attitude here and there. The music is both fresh though also very nostalgic, but it is hard not to get carried away by the intensity and energetic drive the album possesses. The minimal yet heavy production the album is blessed with, does also work really well with the music. The only thing I don't get here, is the party killer of a synth 'intro' placed as track number 4, when the momentum is at its highest, quite misplaced in my opinion.

http://www.myspace.com/damnationshammer

Kindly supplied by the band