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