(written by Islander)
We welcome the Kentucky extreme metal band Sinistrum to our menacing and morbid halls for the first time today, and it’s long past time that we did that.
They have an experienced lineup that includes members of acts including Fornicus and Kentucky death metal veterans Abominant. They made their first mark in 2022 with the three-song demo/EP Trichotomy of Death, and then followed that with their debut full-length, Infernal Dawn, released in February 2024 through Adirondack Black Mass and Morbid and Miserable Records. Now they’re preparing for the November release of their second album, the aptly named The Hammer of Conquest, via Remorseless Records.
This new album is what woke us up to Sinistrum. It’s accurately described as a musical conjunction of death metal brutality, black metal savagery, and flashes of thrashing, riff-driven aggression. It’s also the first work of a revised lineup that features lead vocalist and drummer Scott Briggs, guitarist and vocalist Timmie Ball, guitarist and vocalist Matthew Smith, and bassist Mike May.
As a pulse-pounding, soul-shuddering, and quite quickly addictive sign of what The Hammer of Conquest brings to the table, today we’re premiering an album track named “Scourge Awakened“.
The awakening of this musical scourge isn’t a gradual dawning of violence but an immediate explosion of maniacal viciousness. With drums hammering at full-throttle, the tremolo’d riffing (which is both abrasively scarring and fiery in its tones) wildly swarms and feverishly writhes, like an aural channeling of swiftly spinning madness.
That dual-guitar riff is also a hook-laden manifestation of mayhem, which is to say it gets quickly stuck in the head like vibrating spikes. The vocals are equally vicious, the kind of grit-choked snarls, maddened screams, and guttural roars that conjure visions of furious demonic monstrosity.
The song’s turbocharged opening assault is exhilarating and infectious, but there’s more to come. The band shift into bursts of jackhammering groove which provide the spine-shaking backdrop for a clear-toned, fret-melting guitar solo that ecstatically swirls and soars, and a second solo that’s more sorcerous and sinister.
From there the music frantically batters and convulses, creating an emotional hybrid of jubilation and fear, and Sinistrum also bring us back to the opening riffs, with one last infliction of pile-driving brutality as a farewell.
This really will get your blood rushing and your head spinning, and (to repeat) it’s a very infectious and riff-packed introduction to this new album.
The Hammer of Conquest features all-new material written and performed by Sinistrum, with the sole exception of “Flag of Hate,” the band’s rendition of the classic Kreator track. Timmie Ball handles vocals on the song, while Scott Briggs delivers lead vocals and drums throughout the remainder of the album.
The album’s artwork was created by Johny Prayogi, with the band’s logo and sigil designed by Gragoth. Album photography was provided by Brandon McQueen, with EPK photography by Brett Griffeth. Sinistrum recorded, mixed, and mastered the album themselves, with Scott Briggs handling production, recording, mixing, and mastering.
The album is now set for release on November 13th. CD, tape, and vinyl will be available at Remorseless Records, and Sinistrum will have digital and vinyl pre-orders at their Bandcamp. The album comes recommended for fans of: Zyklon, Belphegor, and earlier God Dethroned. Orders will become available via the links below.
ORDERS:
https://www.remorselessrecords.com/
https://remorselessrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://sinistrum.bandcamp.com/
FOLLOW SINISTRUM:
https://www.facebook.com/Sinistrum.Death
https://www.instagram.com/sinistrum.death