Bloody Hammers

Bloody Hammers, Washed In The Blood (2022)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , , , , ,

It’s Halloween – you need Bloody Hammers at your party. Washed In The Blood is out now.

Bloody Hammers is the Charlotte, North Carolina horror doom rock duo of Anders Manga (vocals, guitar, drums, bass, keys) and Devallia (keys, bass). For more than a decade, they have been laying down shivering grooves beginning with their self-titled album in 2012. Five more records followed over the years, and now we have the seventh, Washed In The Blood. The new one holds as many horrors as those that came before. This time around, Bloody Hammers took the DIY approach, and the result is a high water mark in their catalogue.

There are nine killer tracks on the new record. It all kicks off with a bang on “Black Sunday.” A serious riff is followed by a big, full hard rock sound and immediately recognizable vocals. It is called a hook for a reason and this one sinks in true and deep, putting me in mind of radio leads from not so long ago. This song would be an excellent opener for a live show.

The horror movie elements are infused in every song, hitting especially solidly on tracks like “Phantasmagoria” where the clear narrative and singable chorus creates a clear path to the anthemic. “And Soon The Darkness” is a rousing rough-houser with a gruff edge that gets polished in the vocals. “At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul,” on the other hand, goes full sinister and heavy gothic.

The entire album is winner and I played it through twice on the first listen. I say in all honesty that I like every track, but the song I can’t get out of my head is “Water to the Dead.” It is a combination of the insistent guitar and the heavy melodic surety in the way that the vocals execute the lyrics that combine to make it unforgettable. “Last Rites Of Lucifer” is a top shelf contender, too, and the final piece, “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,” eliminates any doubt about the album making year’s best lists far and wide. I have been a Bloody Hammers fan all along, and the new record is at the top of the queue here at Shardik Media headquarters. Highly recommended.

Washed In The Blood is out now on digital, CD, and vinyl. Check and see if any physicals remain at the link below.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://bloodyhammers.bandcamp.com/album/washed-in-the-blood

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/BloodyHammers

© Wayne Edwards

Bloody Hammers, Washed In The Blood (2022)

Bloody Hammers, Songs Of Unspeakable Terror (Napalm Records 2021)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , ,

Horror shines bright on the sixth album from the North Carolina duo Bloody Hammers.

I have been listening to Bloody Hammers since the initial self-titled album in 2012. The very first track, “Witch of Endor,” is fuzzy and trippy and it sinks it talons in your neck. Spiritual Relics came out the very next year and it was just as clever and fresh. The occult themes and consistent horror underpinnings dress the reliable and forthright metal that has lead me to keep an eye open for new releases from band ever since.

The catchy musical sensibility of “A Night To Dismember” combined with the obvious tongue-in-cheek lyrics and melodic pop-punk execution makes the song an irresistible fuzzy cotton candy horror treat. What a way to kick off the album. The theatrical influences verily drip from the sleeves of these songs, titled as they are after cult movie classics like “Hands of the Ripper,” “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die, and “Witchfinder General.” Samples dropped in (as in White/Rob Zombie) are delightful little familiar punches: witness “Not Of This Earth.” The music is all about the riffs, percussion, and the voice, cast in a throwback robe that resurrects the most memorable elements of bands like The Cramps and more obscure gems like The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black [Aside: deep-dive this band some time, and especially seek out the album “A National Healthcare.”]. There is even one creepy pseudo-ballad, “Lucifer’s Light.” This album has everything.

Any fan of Bloody Hammers is going to love this record, I say with confidence. It does not sound exactly like the others, but it is not a wild departure, either. It is an homage that simultaneously remains true to form, and you will definitely want to hit the repeat button. Recommended.

Songs Of Unspeakable Terror is out today from Napalm Records. Grab it with both hands.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://bloodyhammers.bandcamp.com/album/songs-of-unspeakable-terror

Website, http://www.bloodyhammers.com/

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/BloodyHammers

Napalm Records, https://www.napalmrecordsamerica.com/bloodyhammers

Bloody Hammers, Songs Of Unspeakable Terror (Napalm Records 2021)