INFERNÖ

With roots in the early 90s underground Norwegian black metal scene, by the time Infernö released their first demo, 'Massacre In Hell', the band's sound had evolved into distinctly 80s influenced thrash metal with comparisons to Destruction, Sodom and Venom abound. They released two albums on Osmose Productions in the mid-90s ('Utter Hell' (1996) and 'Downtown Hades' (1997)) before parting with the label due to poor record sales, only to re-surface in 2004 after a seven year hiatus to release the 7" vinyl EP, 'Thrash Metal Dogs of Hell'. And so on to 2007 with the release of 'Metal Commando Attack' on Duplicate Records which is a compilation of material derived from the band's sporadic output over the years from their first demo cassette to an unedited recording of their last live performance to date back in 2005. The lengthy CD begins with the atmospheric intro track 'Necromanteion' recorded in 2006 by, according to the inlay notes, Silverboy, before the onslaught of Infernö's discordant thrash barrage begins with 'Metal Commando'. Tracks 2-5 are from 2004 recording sessions and what's immediately striking is frontman Hazardous Pussy Desecrator's (!?!) vocal style which is not too dissimilar from Kreator frontman Miland 'Mille' Petrozza, although HPD's delivery has a more unrestrained punk flair with dissonant screams and growls aplenty. In fact, although the band's sound is firmly rooted in the 80s thrash metal scene, their music generally has a raw punk edge which, while audibly pleasing to some, might put off the thrash purists. Tracks 6-7 originally appeared on the 'Headbangers Against Disco Vol.1' and 'Thrashing Holocaust' compilations respectively, and then the album's seven live tracks which were recorded at John Dee in Oslo. With a fairly good, though appositely 'dirty' sound, they capture the essence of Infernö at their stripped down, drunken, thrashing best. The compilation climaxes with the seven tracks from their 1995 demo 'Massacre In Hell' which have an expectedly bad sound, but are an essential inclusion for an example of the band's earliest recordings. With new material promised sometime in the near future, 'Metal Commando Attack' is not a closing chapter in the band's career, rather a reminder of their existence and a well compiled retrospective of a band who are perhaps ripe for re-discovery in an age where retro-80s thrash is once again all the rage. Certainly worth checking out for a piece of underground thrash metal history.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Duplicate Records

Album

METAL COMMANDO ATTACK

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

77:24

RELEASE DATE:

July 2007

TRACK LISTING

1. Necromanteion; 2. Metal Commando; 3. Thrash Metal Dogs of Hell; 4. Death Squad; 5. When The Children Die; 6. Stabbed Woman; 7. Metal Attack; 8. Thrash Metal Dogs of Hell (live); 9. Rot In Hell (live); 10. When the Children Die (live); 11. Roadkill (live); 12. Metal Commando (live); 13. Alcoholocaust (live); 14. Violator (live); 15. Tormentor; 16. Necroslut; 17. Metal Attack; 18. Stabbed Woman; 19. Ripping Hell; 20. Infernal Invasion; 21. Torment Her; 22. Infernö

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

Norway

"...a well compiled retrospective of a band who are perhaps ripe for re-discovery..."