HELVITNIR - Wolves Of The Underworld CD

Maltese bassist/vocalist Mark Azzopardi a.k.a. Hellcommander Vargblod, who moved to Sweden, Swedish guitarist Lars Björkens a.k.a. Bjarkan and Norwegian guitarist Tom Arild Johansen a.k.a. Ihizahg met in Ragnarok (Norwegian, of course), played there for a couple of years (since 2021 to 2023, Bjarkan a little longer – since 2020) and formed Helvitnir. After a little while, they somehow managed to lure Hellhammer to their line-up. And now, after the "Helborn" EP (2024) and three digital singles, the band releases their debut album "Wolves of the Underworld".

Like the vast majority of albums released on the wave of the sudden fashion for Scandinavian veterans and almost veterans (all the members of Helvitnir have long service records), "Wolves of the Underworld" contains nothing but the spirit of the 90s. Well, almost nothing. If you are a true fan of the old school, this album will be a real gift for you.

Helvitnir's music is based on melodic, even pompous in some ways riffs, mostly tremolo-picked, of course. Helvitnir mainly work at speed, often switching to the unmerciful hellish blast beats. Hellhammer? Well, he pummels diligently, plays rolls around the toms, not very often, but still, and apparently, the work of imagination is not required from him here, only diligence, let us put it this way. Sometimes Helvitnir use a mid tempo groove, but do not stay at it for long. The songs are built on repetition, there is nothing extravagant here. As reference points from the 90s, we can cite bands such as Dark Funeral ("Throes of Transformation", "Dread Biter"), Immortal ("Black Flame Triad", "Void of Emptiness"), Marduk ("Helvitnir", "Void of Emptiness", "Imagery of Deceit"). Nothing but classics of the genre.