Review by Adam M on November 10, 2014.

After having waited for 19 years for this album, it comes as no surprise that there is some anticipation on my part for At War With Reality. This is really just the logical continuation from Slaughter of the Soul, but with a slightly more conceptual feel. The album is a welcome relief because it harnesses a great deal of melody that the otherwise quality new The Haunted album is lacking. Sure, the songs are somewhat straightforward, but there are more than enough interesting segues in compelling directions on the album to break up the standard riffing that is mostly excellent anyways.

But what comes as more welcome is that this album is probably more weighted towards the end than the beginning. Some of my favourite tracks on the album like The Head of the Hydra and Eater of the Gods will surprise you towards the end of At War With Reality. A nice production perfectly complements the juxtaposition between power and melody. There is a fault that the album could be more adventurous, but this album is still far more exciting than some are making it out to be. The guitar work is a highlight, but I’m more than thrilled with the performance put forth by Thomas Lindberg. Modern production really makes his wonderful acid tone a prominent element of the disc and people should try to appreciate his style before coming to conclusions with their opinion on the album.

At War With Reality is an album made for fans of a more modern style, so it will probably appeal to those that love Slaughter of the Soul and Terminal Spirit Disease from their discography the most. I haven’t been able to stop listening to it since getting a hold of it, so be prepared to become addicted all over again.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Jack on April 9, 2003.

I think the Metalbite staff in general were not all that impressed with Hell-Born's debut album in "Hellblast." It was a rather stock standard approach to the whole black/death metal subgenre. It was decent, but nothing standout. 2002/2003 sees the coming of a new era for Hell-Born.

Everything about "The Call of Megiddo" is heads and shoulders above "Hellblast," production, creativity, musicianship, riffs. The whole kit and caboodle. Take 'Legion is Our Name' for example. Straight from the opening chord you can tell this is a different Hell-Born. The lyrics are catchier and easier to understand, the riffs are smooth and flow perfectly with the lyrics and vocals, and the guitar solos are short and snappy, making for a complete package this time around. 'Legion is Our Name' is just one example of Hell-Born's improvement, you could search through any of the other seven tracks and find a better song than you could ever find on "Hellblast." If base death metal is your thing, with a good chunk of thrash and black metal trimmings than you could do a lot worse with Hell-Born this time around.

Of course if you have a release that was in the first place simply mediocre, it is not going to be too much of a tough ask for a follow up record to be an improvement. I perhaps was not singing Hell-Born's praises enough. Hell-Born are the sort of band that makes you happy as a metal reviewer. They have successfully ironed out all their creases and dents and re-honed in on their strengths, making them not a new band, but just a refocused entity dedicated to their craft. "The Call of Megiddo" is a fine testament to them.

Bottom Line: I have been converted; Hell-Born is a far more powerful band in "The Call of Megiddo" in comparison to their feeble efforts during "Hellblast." Check it out (especially the title-track, it is just killer).

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 7
Atmosphere: 7
Production: 7
Originality: 7
Overall: 8

Rating: 7.2 out of 10