Review TEMPLE OF DREAD ‘Hades Unleashed’

‘Blood Carving Mantras’ and World ‘Sacrifice’ have been the foundation-makers for ‘Hades Unleashed’, the new strike from Northern Germany.

It doesn’t take Temple Of Dread long to go full speed on their third longplayer. With ‘Aithon’s Hunger’, the trio starts things off without any intro or warm-up phase. It’s more of a sonic punch into the face of listeners right away. Temple Of Dread is rooted in old-school death metal manifested in the pole position of this album. The song is a blast in the beginning and a good ambassador for the other eight tracks.

One of those is ‘Necromanteion’ which is additional example for ruthless death metal, this time in a more modest pace with some spoken word parts and melodic leads along the way. ‘Wrath of the Gods’ has been out already as single and video, a tune followed by the colossal ‘Threefold Agony’. The latter is a pounding death metal track with no intention to take prisoners. Compromises isn’t what this song is built upon and the same goes for the album in its entirety.

With a running time just under 40 minutes means, that Temple Of Dread are focused and to the point. There aren’t lengthy parts on the album, neither there are moments of boredom. This album is the musical equivalent to a bulldozer that smashes everything being in the way. ‘Crypts of the Gorgon’ is such a track that challenges speakers and eardrums.

This metal whirlwind ends with the last tones of ‘Procession to Tartarus’. The closing chapter is a bit longer and also slower paced than most of the other tracks. Despair and a deadly vibe are even amplified by these characteristics. The song is the highlight of the album and listening to this massive blast feels like you tuned in on channel 666, broadcasted right the abyss.

Temple Of Dread managed to top the previous two longplayers, which already have been exciting death metal adventures. The third longplayer doesn’t come with a lot of changes and it is more of the little adjustment and fine-tuning, making each of these nine songs to a deadly pleasure.