(written by Islander)
The German metalpunk band Devil’s Hour aren’t trying to fool anyone. They named their 2023 debut EP Black ‘n’ Punk Marauders. The two singles they released that same year were “Beerlethics” and “Blood and Booze on Hallows Eve“. And in case people still weren’t getting the message, they titled their 2024 debut album Apocalyptic Drunken Bastards. But, ya know, some folks are slow to catch on, so Devil’s Hour have a new album coming our way that they named Hellbound & Hammered.
As you can see, we’ve been on board from the beginning for this band’s filthy mashup of influences from punk, rock, and First Wave black metal, liberally garnished with elements of heavy and speed metal from the ’80s and ’90s. And we’re still here for it, happily premiering the electrifying title song from the new album today in advance of its release by Crawling Chaos on November 20th.
As its name strongly suggests, “Hellbound & Hammered” is a great soundtrack for getting hammered on your way to some hellish outcome — but it’s also a great replacement for alcohol-infused bedlam because it will make you feel that way even if you go into it stone-cold sober.
In this song, as always, Devil’s Hour have dialed in diabolical riffing, with a two-toned electric charge that feverishly shivers down below and fiendishly blares up above. They back that exhilarating riffage with galloping percussive propulsion and they front it with beastly snarls and rabid screams.
Without backing down on the music’s blood-rushing energy, they shift the music’s mood in more menacing directions and also bring in eerily swirling and freakishly unhinged arpeggios as well as devilishly grand heavy metal chords and soloing that’s both orgiastic and fiendishly supernatural.
All in all, it’s a raucously wild romp, the kind of high-speed head-rush that’s likely to spin mosh pits into a sweaty froth. But despite the image of alcohol-fueled mayhem that Devil’s Hour project, even one listen will prove again that the band is instrumentally razor-sharp in their execution and capable of writing highly infectious songs.
This new single will be widely available on October 16th. As mentioned, Crawling Chaos will release the album on November 20th, just in time for the CRAWLING CHAOS LIVE IV concert weekend in Troisdorf, Germany, where Devil’s Hour will be headlining.
The album will be released on CD, tape, vinyl, and digital editions, with new shirts and patches. For more info, check the links below.
CRAWLING CHAOS:
https://www.thecrawlingchaos-records.de
https://www.facebook.com/thecrawlingchaosrecords
DEVIL’S HOUR:
https://linktr.ee/Devilshourofficial
https://thecrawlingchaos-records.de/DEVILS-HOUR
https://www.facebook.com/Devilshourmetalpunk/
https://www.instagram.com/devilshour_metalpunk/