Review by Carl on August 4, 2021.

This lot is quite the remarkable band. I got to know them through their On The Verge album, an effort in the vein of Pantera that had its moments, but no more than that. Their debut is an entirely different bag though. This is by far one of the most interesting releases I have ever heard. There's much going on here and it is really hard to pin them to one particular style, but instead of turning into a forced hodge-podge of different influences, it all blends together admirably without losing focus. Curious? No? Well, fuck you, I'm going to start yapping anyway.

The first handful of tracks have a heavy influence of old school hardcore punk, with names like Negative Approach, Siege and Discharge all coming to mind, best exemplified in a track like 'Behind Enemy Lines'. In other songs there's the NYHC sound of bands such as Dmize, Neglect and "One Voice" era Agnostic Front present, but to describe them as just a hardcore band would not do the band justice. The riffing and guitar sound have a definite Massacre "From Beyond" feel to them, maintaining a thrash/death metal feel throughout, while in a track like 'Internal Damage', the NYHC influences are combined with sludgy, doomed out metal in the vein of Saint Vitus, Black Sabbath and the slower material of a band like Carnivore, a trait they share with many of their NOLA contemporaries. The band keeps it varied throughout the whole of the album, interspersing faster parts with slower sections. On the second half of the album the faster hardcore punk influence becomes a little less outspoken, without completely disappearing though. This sees the band delving more into doomier Black Sabbath territory, while in 'Cell XIII' the band tries their collective hand at old school death metal. In 'The Truth Is In The Gas Chamber' they combine the cranky hardcore style of Sheer Terror with a burst of crossover thrash in the best D.R.I. and early Crumbsuckers tradition, while 'Future Of The Carcass' gives us a glimpse of what a metallic version of "My War" era Black Flag would sound like, but with added haunting keyboards. As you probably understand by now, this band will surprise you at every turn their music takes yet does this without becoming forced or unbelievable.

You'd be forgiven to think that all this would sound like a directionless mess, yet the band manages to keep it all together without losing focus of the total picture. The gruff vocals of Perry McAuley as well as the crunchy guitar sound and imaginative riffing act as combining factors for all the different influences embedded within the band's music. Helped in big part by the well above average production, the pounding hardcore/metal hybrid stays on point during the entire album, with sporadic haunting melodies and gang vocals providing some well-placed hooks. Yet in all honesty, this album will require a few spins to totally get to the bottom of what the band has to offer, but it certainly is worth the effort. This is one of those awesome albums that get better the more you hear it, always discovering elements you haven't heard before.

It's not hard to imagine why this album kinda got lost between the cracks of time. It may combine elements from thrash metal, doom metal, hardcore punk and death metal, yet it isn't any of those genres in particular. On this album the band followed their own path, to impressive effect I will add, but at a time that black metal was about to take over from death metal, that had taken over from thrash metal years before that, this album was without chance.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Felix on October 13, 2022.

Hautakammio. Hau-ta-kam-mio. The name of the band is Hautakammi.. oh, you wonder what I am doing here? Well, my brain is old and rotten and these Finnish devils challenge me seriously whenever they choose a name in their mother tongue. Anyway, here comes – wait a moment – Hautakammio with their first album called… forget it, the Finnish language is a book with seven seals to me and, I apologize, the debut’s name is too complicated for me.

Apart from my linguistic difficulties, the quartet from Suomi dishes up an utterly grim version of Nordic black metal. In terms of hardness, they degrade bands like Aegrus or Malum to teddy bears. Even Behexen remind far behind. But this is no statement concerning the quality of Hautakammio’s music. The approximately 33 minutes are divided into five roughly equally sized pieces and the first of them, kindly christened simply "I" (even I understand this kind of Finnish) actually only offers tediously structured noise. But the four servants of hell can do it better. “II” and “III” leave no doubt that the guys are able to write diabolic riffs. Moreover, these tracks spread dynamic vibes and their compositional density is very remarkable. The seemingly tortured voice gives the apocalyptic scenario the instrumentalists create the final touch. Insane screams characterize the performance of the lead “singer”. In these songs, Hautakammio act like the extreme form of Behexen and they do it with passion.

The B side prolongs the massacre. Technical subtleties, playful nuances and fine-minded melodies find no place in it. Instead, the cold guitars, the permanent double bass thunder and the snare creeate a boulevard of broken beauty while the vocalist still screams with a lot of reverb on his voice. I do not understand a single word, but the destructive atmosphere of negativity is very impressive. In rare moments, the guitars hint at a melody, for example in "IV". But these elements are not characterizing for this “Pure Holocaust 2.0” minus “As the Eternity Opens”. And just like its big Norwegian brother, the album manages to avoid boredom. As mentioned above, the opener does not really hit the mark, but the remaining songs are pure joy for noise fetishists. The adequate production is another advantage of this debut. The sound convinces with the right mix of brutality (80%) and differentiation (20%).

The vinyl edition is stingy with information. Nevertheless, I am a proud owner of my copy, because this format and black metal are simply a perfect match. Hautakammio’s totally uncompromising approach is nothing but true black metal and a kind of corrective for varieties of this style that dilute its spirit. Their debut from 2013 marked a great start and I am curious to discover their further albums. By then I will also know the name of the band by heart, I promise.

Rating: 8.1 out of 10

Review by Carl on August 4, 2021.

This lot is quite the remarkable band. I got to know them through their On The Verge album, an effort in the vein of Pantera that had its moments, but no more than that. Their debut is an entirely different bag though. This is by far one of the most interesting releases I have ever heard. There's much going on here and it is really hard to pin them to one particular style, but instead of turning into a forced hodge-podge of different influences, it all blends together admirably without losing focus. Curious? No? Well, fuck you, I'm going to start yapping anyway.

The first handful of tracks have a heavy influence of old school hardcore punk, with names like Negative Approach, Siege and Discharge all coming to mind, best exemplified in a track like 'Behind Enemy Lines'. In other songs there's the NYHC sound of bands such as Dmize, Neglect and "One Voice" era Agnostic Front present, but to describe them as just a hardcore band would not do the band justice. The riffing and guitar sound have a definite Massacre "From Beyond" feel to them, maintaining a thrash/death metal feel throughout, while in a track like 'Internal Damage', the NYHC influences are combined with sludgy, doomed out metal in the vein of Saint Vitus, Black Sabbath and the slower material of a band like Carnivore, a trait they share with many of their NOLA contemporaries. The band keeps it varied throughout the whole of the album, interspersing faster parts with slower sections. On the second half of the album the faster hardcore punk influence becomes a little less outspoken, without completely disappearing though. This sees the band delving more into doomier Black Sabbath territory, while in 'Cell XIII' the band tries their collective hand at old school death metal. In 'The Truth Is In The Gas Chamber' they combine the cranky hardcore style of Sheer Terror with a burst of crossover thrash in the best D.R.I. and early Crumbsuckers tradition, while 'Future Of The Carcass' gives us a glimpse of what a metallic version of "My War" era Black Flag would sound like, but with added haunting keyboards. As you probably understand by now, this band will surprise you at every turn their music takes yet does this without becoming forced or unbelievable.

You'd be forgiven to think that all this would sound like a directionless mess, yet the band manages to keep it all together without losing focus of the total picture. The gruff vocals of Perry McAuley as well as the crunchy guitar sound and imaginative riffing act as combining factors for all the different influences embedded within the band's music. Helped in big part by the well above average production, the pounding hardcore/metal hybrid stays on point during the entire album, with sporadic haunting melodies and gang vocals providing some well-placed hooks. Yet in all honesty, this album will require a few spins to totally get to the bottom of what the band has to offer, but it certainly is worth the effort. This is one of those awesome albums that get better the more you hear it, always discovering elements you haven't heard before.

It's not hard to imagine why this album kinda got lost between the cracks of time. It may combine elements from thrash metal, doom metal, hardcore punk and death metal, yet it isn't any of those genres in particular. On this album the band followed their own path, to impressive effect I will add, but at a time that black metal was about to take over from death metal, that had taken over from thrash metal years before that, this album was without chance.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Carl on August 4, 2021.

This lot is quite the remarkable band. I got to know them through their On The Verge album, an effort in the vein of Pantera that had its moments, but no more than that. Their debut is an entirely different bag though. This is by far one of the most interesting releases I have ever heard. There's much going on here and it is really hard to pin them to one particular style, but instead of turning into a forced hodge-podge of different influences, it all blends together admirably without losing focus. Curious? No? Well, fuck you, I'm going to start yapping anyway.

The first handful of tracks have a heavy influence of old school hardcore punk, with names like Negative Approach, Siege and Discharge all coming to mind, best exemplified in a track like 'Behind Enemy Lines'. In other songs there's the NYHC sound of bands such as Dmize, Neglect and "One Voice" era Agnostic Front present, but to describe them as just a hardcore band would not do the band justice. The riffing and guitar sound have a definite Massacre "From Beyond" feel to them, maintaining a thrash/death metal feel throughout, while in a track like 'Internal Damage', the NYHC influences are combined with sludgy, doomed out metal in the vein of Saint Vitus, Black Sabbath and the slower material of a band like Carnivore, a trait they share with many of their NOLA contemporaries. The band keeps it varied throughout the whole of the album, interspersing faster parts with slower sections. On the second half of the album the faster hardcore punk influence becomes a little less outspoken, without completely disappearing though. This sees the band delving more into doomier Black Sabbath territory, while in 'Cell XIII' the band tries their collective hand at old school death metal. In 'The Truth Is In The Gas Chamber' they combine the cranky hardcore style of Sheer Terror with a burst of crossover thrash in the best D.R.I. and early Crumbsuckers tradition, while 'Future Of The Carcass' gives us a glimpse of what a metallic version of "My War" era Black Flag would sound like, but with added haunting keyboards. As you probably understand by now, this band will surprise you at every turn their music takes yet does this without becoming forced or unbelievable.

You'd be forgiven to think that all this would sound like a directionless mess, yet the band manages to keep it all together without losing focus of the total picture. The gruff vocals of Perry McAuley as well as the crunchy guitar sound and imaginative riffing act as combining factors for all the different influences embedded within the band's music. Helped in big part by the well above average production, the pounding hardcore/metal hybrid stays on point during the entire album, with sporadic haunting melodies and gang vocals providing some well-placed hooks. Yet in all honesty, this album will require a few spins to totally get to the bottom of what the band has to offer, but it certainly is worth the effort. This is one of those awesome albums that get better the more you hear it, always discovering elements you haven't heard before.

It's not hard to imagine why this album kinda got lost between the cracks of time. It may combine elements from thrash metal, doom metal, hardcore punk and death metal, yet it isn't any of those genres in particular. On this album the band followed their own path, to impressive effect I will add, but at a time that black metal was about to take over from death metal, that had taken over from thrash metal years before that, this album was without chance.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Greg on December 25, 2023.

At the time of writing this, Italian premier comedy metal outfit (and we have many of 'em across the musical spectrum) Nanowar of Steel has long evolved past the stage of being an independent band playing covers and writing infantile lyrics. They are now under the wing of Napalm Records, playing tours in Europe to quite a good acclaim. If one were to pinpoint the exact moment when this ascent had begun, that would likely be after their 'Norwegian Reggaeton' became a huge success online, but that shouldn't discredit the last LP released before that – the here presented Stairway to Valhalla (2018).

What makes this so special, you may ask? For the short answer, the fact that the band seemingly unsheathed all the weapons they somehow kept hidden for all this time, ending up mimicking, when not beating at their game altogether, in strict tracklist order and interludes aside: *deep breath* Rhapsody of Fire, The Vision Bleak, Judas Priest, Manowar, Mike Oldfield, Stratovarius, a mini rock-opera, '80s rock à la Poison, and Blind Guardian. Phew! The only songs I wasn't able to identify similar overt references in were 'L'opelatole ecologico' (the only track sung in Italian), 'Ironmonger' (not really a Helloween-inspired tune, despite its hilarious subtitle) and closer 'Hail to Liechtenstein'. This constant juxtaposition of styles works a lot better than you might think. The album couldn't be further from being a disjointed mess as all songs are imbued with on-point guitar work by guitarist Mohammed Abdul, arguably the star among them, and present maybe the band's most infectious set of refrains ever. I feel I don't even need to delve into the lyrical topics, which are as absurd as always – '...and Then I Noticed That She Was a Gargoyle' or 'Tooth Fairy' are clear examples – but the album works incredibly well even without knowing that it's a parody one. That's a huge compliment, in my book.

It would be impossible to pick a standout track from this pack, but opener 'Barbie, MILF Princess of the Twilight' might take the crown for the added comedy value of having Fabio Lione mocking his own songs within it, but that's not to downplay the incredible Hansi Kürsch impression courtesy of Abdul in 'The Quest for Carrefour', nor the pastiche of Stratovarius snippets brought to life with 'Tooth Fairy', which might as well be the song with the most erudite lyrics (and possibly the craziest solo) of all time. But really every episode constitutes a story in and of itself. I'm of course not forgetting the random nods to whatever that have always been synonyms with the band – the reprise of Symphony X's 'Sea of Lies' ending, the 'Baker Street' or can-can guitar solos, catching them is a game within a game. Even some of the interludes (I think of 'Images and Swords' or 'Another Drill in the Wall') were successful jokes, and most of all short enough not to overstay their welcome.

It's funny to think that parody bands can sometimes host such legitimate, or outright skilled musicians – main voice Potowotominimak is an outstanding vocalist under every aspect too – especially since I can attest that they also perform amazingly in a live setting, if not more. I don't want to dismiss Nanowar of Steel's previous LPs as forgettable, as Into Gay Pride Ride and the half-comp A Knight at the Opera certainly were no slouches either, but Stairway to Valhalla to my eyes is where the band definitely upped the ante and became more confident in expanding their local dimension, which is also a minor pride for me, who have followed them from their very beginnings.

The best part? It marked the start of a very prolific period for the band...

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Greg on December 25, 2023.

At the time of writing this, Italian premier comedy metal outfit (and we have many of 'em across the musical spectrum) Nanowar of Steel has long evolved past the stage of being an independent band playing covers and writing infantile lyrics. They are now under the wing of Napalm Records, playing tours in Europe to quite a good acclaim. If one were to pinpoint the exact moment when this ascent had begun, that would likely be after their 'Norwegian Reggaeton' became a huge success online, but that shouldn't discredit the last LP released before that – the here presented Stairway to Valhalla (2018).

What makes this so special, you may ask? For the short answer, the fact that the band seemingly unsheathed all the weapons they somehow kept hidden for all this time, ending up mimicking, when not beating at their game altogether, in strict tracklist order and interludes aside: *deep breath* Rhapsody of Fire, The Vision Bleak, Judas Priest, Manowar, Mike Oldfield, Stratovarius, a mini rock-opera, '80s rock à la Poison, and Blind Guardian. Phew! The only songs I wasn't able to identify similar overt references in were 'L'opelatole ecologico' (the only track sung in Italian), 'Ironmonger' (not really a Helloween-inspired tune, despite its hilarious subtitle) and closer 'Hail to Liechtenstein'. This constant juxtaposition of styles works a lot better than you might think. The album couldn't be further from being a disjointed mess as all songs are imbued with on-point guitar work by guitarist Mohammed Abdul, arguably the star among them, and present maybe the band's most infectious set of refrains ever. I feel I don't even need to delve into the lyrical topics, which are as absurd as always – '...and Then I Noticed That She Was a Gargoyle' or 'Tooth Fairy' are clear examples – but the album works incredibly well even without knowing that it's a parody one. That's a huge compliment, in my book.

It would be impossible to pick a standout track from this pack, but opener 'Barbie, MILF Princess of the Twilight' might take the crown for the added comedy value of having Fabio Lione mocking his own songs within it, but that's not to downplay the incredible Hansi Kürsch impression courtesy of Abdul in 'The Quest for Carrefour', nor the pastiche of Stratovarius snippets brought to life with 'Tooth Fairy', which might as well be the song with the most erudite lyrics (and possibly the craziest solo) of all time. But really every episode constitutes a story in and of itself. I'm of course not forgetting the random nods to whatever that have always been synonyms with the band – the reprise of Symphony X's 'Sea of Lies' ending, the 'Baker Street' or can-can guitar solos, catching them is a game within a game. Even some of the interludes (I think of 'Images and Swords' or 'Another Drill in the Wall') were successful jokes, and most of all short enough not to overstay their welcome.

It's funny to think that parody bands can sometimes host such legitimate, or outright skilled musicians – main voice Potowotominimak is an outstanding vocalist under every aspect too – especially since I can attest that they also perform amazingly in a live setting, if not more. I don't want to dismiss Nanowar of Steel's previous LPs as forgettable, as Into Gay Pride Ride and the half-comp A Knight at the Opera certainly were no slouches either, but Stairway to Valhalla to my eyes is where the band definitely upped the ante and became more confident in expanding their local dimension, which is also a minor pride for me, who have followed them from their very beginnings.

The best part? It marked the start of a very prolific period for the band...

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Greg on December 25, 2023.

At the time of writing this, Italian premier comedy metal outfit (and we have many of 'em across the musical spectrum) Nanowar of Steel has long evolved past the stage of being an independent band playing covers and writing infantile lyrics. They are now under the wing of Napalm Records, playing tours in Europe to quite a good acclaim. If one were to pinpoint the exact moment when this ascent had begun, that would likely be after their 'Norwegian Reggaeton' became a huge success online, but that shouldn't discredit the last LP released before that – the here presented Stairway to Valhalla (2018).

What makes this so special, you may ask? For the short answer, the fact that the band seemingly unsheathed all the weapons they somehow kept hidden for all this time, ending up mimicking, when not beating at their game altogether, in strict tracklist order and interludes aside: *deep breath* Rhapsody of Fire, The Vision Bleak, Judas Priest, Manowar, Mike Oldfield, Stratovarius, a mini rock-opera, '80s rock à la Poison, and Blind Guardian. Phew! The only songs I wasn't able to identify similar overt references in were 'L'opelatole ecologico' (the only track sung in Italian), 'Ironmonger' (not really a Helloween-inspired tune, despite its hilarious subtitle) and closer 'Hail to Liechtenstein'. This constant juxtaposition of styles works a lot better than you might think. The album couldn't be further from being a disjointed mess as all songs are imbued with on-point guitar work by guitarist Mohammed Abdul, arguably the star among them, and present maybe the band's most infectious set of refrains ever. I feel I don't even need to delve into the lyrical topics, which are as absurd as always – '...and Then I Noticed That She Was a Gargoyle' or 'Tooth Fairy' are clear examples – but the album works incredibly well even without knowing that it's a parody one. That's a huge compliment, in my book.

It would be impossible to pick a standout track from this pack, but opener 'Barbie, MILF Princess of the Twilight' might take the crown for the added comedy value of having Fabio Lione mocking his own songs within it, but that's not to downplay the incredible Hansi Kürsch impression courtesy of Abdul in 'The Quest for Carrefour', nor the pastiche of Stratovarius snippets brought to life with 'Tooth Fairy', which might as well be the song with the most erudite lyrics (and possibly the craziest solo) of all time. But really every episode constitutes a story in and of itself. I'm of course not forgetting the random nods to whatever that have always been synonyms with the band – the reprise of Symphony X's 'Sea of Lies' ending, the 'Baker Street' or can-can guitar solos, catching them is a game within a game. Even some of the interludes (I think of 'Images and Swords' or 'Another Drill in the Wall') were successful jokes, and most of all short enough not to overstay their welcome.

It's funny to think that parody bands can sometimes host such legitimate, or outright skilled musicians – main voice Potowotominimak is an outstanding vocalist under every aspect too – especially since I can attest that they also perform amazingly in a live setting, if not more. I don't want to dismiss Nanowar of Steel's previous LPs as forgettable, as Into Gay Pride Ride and the half-comp A Knight at the Opera certainly were no slouches either, but Stairway to Valhalla to my eyes is where the band definitely upped the ante and became more confident in expanding their local dimension, which is also a minor pride for me, who have followed them from their very beginnings.

The best part? It marked the start of a very prolific period for the band...

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Greg on December 25, 2023.

At the time of writing this, Italian premier comedy metal outfit (and we have many of 'em across the musical spectrum) Nanowar of Steel has long evolved past the stage of being an independent band playing covers and writing infantile lyrics. They are now under the wing of Napalm Records, playing tours in Europe to quite a good acclaim. If one were to pinpoint the exact moment when this ascent had begun, that would likely be after their 'Norwegian Reggaeton' became a huge success online, but that shouldn't discredit the last LP released before that – the here presented Stairway to Valhalla (2018).

What makes this so special, you may ask? For the short answer, the fact that the band seemingly unsheathed all the weapons they somehow kept hidden for all this time, ending up mimicking, when not beating at their game altogether, in strict tracklist order and interludes aside: *deep breath* Rhapsody of Fire, The Vision Bleak, Judas Priest, Manowar, Mike Oldfield, Stratovarius, a mini rock-opera, '80s rock à la Poison, and Blind Guardian. Phew! The only songs I wasn't able to identify similar overt references in were 'L'opelatole ecologico' (the only track sung in Italian), 'Ironmonger' (not really a Helloween-inspired tune, despite its hilarious subtitle) and closer 'Hail to Liechtenstein'. This constant juxtaposition of styles works a lot better than you might think. The album couldn't be further from being a disjointed mess as all songs are imbued with on-point guitar work by guitarist Mohammed Abdul, arguably the star among them, and present maybe the band's most infectious set of refrains ever. I feel I don't even need to delve into the lyrical topics, which are as absurd as always – '...and Then I Noticed That She Was a Gargoyle' or 'Tooth Fairy' are clear examples – but the album works incredibly well even without knowing that it's a parody one. That's a huge compliment, in my book.

It would be impossible to pick a standout track from this pack, but opener 'Barbie, MILF Princess of the Twilight' might take the crown for the added comedy value of having Fabio Lione mocking his own songs within it, but that's not to downplay the incredible Hansi Kürsch impression courtesy of Abdul in 'The Quest for Carrefour', nor the pastiche of Stratovarius snippets brought to life with 'Tooth Fairy', which might as well be the song with the most erudite lyrics (and possibly the craziest solo) of all time. But really every episode constitutes a story in and of itself. I'm of course not forgetting the random nods to whatever that have always been synonyms with the band – the reprise of Symphony X's 'Sea of Lies' ending, the 'Baker Street' or can-can guitar solos, catching them is a game within a game. Even some of the interludes (I think of 'Images and Swords' or 'Another Drill in the Wall') were successful jokes, and most of all short enough not to overstay their welcome.

It's funny to think that parody bands can sometimes host such legitimate, or outright skilled musicians – main voice Potowotominimak is an outstanding vocalist under every aspect too – especially since I can attest that they also perform amazingly in a live setting, if not more. I don't want to dismiss Nanowar of Steel's previous LPs as forgettable, as Into Gay Pride Ride and the half-comp A Knight at the Opera certainly were no slouches either, but Stairway to Valhalla to my eyes is where the band definitely upped the ante and became more confident in expanding their local dimension, which is also a minor pride for me, who have followed them from their very beginnings.

The best part? It marked the start of a very prolific period for the band...

Rating: 9 out of 10