Review by Felix on February 8, 2020.

Maybe I am wrong, but this album cannot be labelled as heavy metal. It has not much in common with the works of bands such as Mystic Prophecy or Grand Magus that represent different facets of modern heavy metal. Aesthetics of Decay gives a home to fanatic speed / thrash hybrids. In terms of quality and more or less in terms of style, their songs stand in the tradition of many Artillery tracks and that's pretty stunning. Already the first two tracks enrich the Danish thrash treasury in view of their absolutely energizing, straightforward and restless approach. Obviously, Steel Inferno did not join the scene in order to hide their light under the bushel. Come on, try to be not infused by the effervescent "City Lights" when listening to this irresistible killer for the first time. Attempt to stay apathetically while being confronted with the devastating title track. Its heavyweight guitars, its rapid rhythms and the tinge of oriental harmonies at the beginning that seems to hail Artillery's "Khomaniac" - all these details make clear that resistance is futile. This song provides evidence that passiveness and indolence can be destroyed in a matter of seconds. Believe me, I thought Steel Inferno are just another interesting newcomer, but what the hell is happening here?

The quintet is able to create this infectious element that draws the listener into their songs. Sometimes stomping, sometimes swift as an arrow, the songs score with many exciting ingredients. The riffs do not lack sharpness, the feminine vocals of Karen bring Dawn Crosby back to my mind, although Karen is much more flexible, and the punk element of Détente is missing. Unlike some of her female colleagues, Karen sounds like a real woman every now and then - little joke... She does not imitate the diabolic nagging of Sabina Classen and she cannot be compared with the ridiculous elves of all these fairly terrible "beauty-and-the-beast" albums. It remains a mystery why she is not responsible for the lead vocals of the fourth track, because her approach reflects strength and self-confidence in a pretty natural way, and this is something I like very much. As long as girls are happy to be girls and boys are happy to be boys, the world has a good perspective.

All songs have a logical configuration with edges and corners and wallow in their own heavy fundament. There are absolutely no details that indicate any form of half-heartedness. "Merciful Slayer" hails the speed and thrash heroes again with its straight, direct and fast pattern. Both its flattening riffing during the instrumental part and the formative velocity explain why the thrash metal kings of the mid-eighties show up in the song title. By contrast, tracks like "Defender of the Old Ways" or "Dismantling Fixed Positions" rather underline the traditional side of the group. Okay, the band members wear shirts of Thin Lizzy, Sortilège and Judas ("Screaming for Vengeance"), but don't be fooled by these textiles. The pretty massive sound of Aesthetics of Decay pulverizes the works of these veterans. It presses the listener against the wall, albeit the bass guitar has to struggle in order to be heard. Yet apart from this minor detail, the mix is well balanced. It does not only set the right frame for the almost apocalyptic riffing of "Flashing Reality", another sharp and thrash-affine eruption with great lyrics about "entertainment grown from the lowest common denominator". The production does justice to all tracks, to the speedy eruptions as well as to the mid-tempo-based monsters.

The vinyl edition does not contain the cover version and the running order of the tracks is slightly different. Frankly spoken, a missing cover is mostly the best cover one can get. Anyway, this is the first full-length of a talented, robust and assertive formation. Steel Inferno, the name might not be the child of a creative flash, have proven that they can provide a breath of fresh air for a scene that sometimes is in danger to lose its energetic appearance. Their song formula combines vehemence with the necessary quantum of melodies and all ten pieces hit the target. I want more and, of course, my advice is to check this album as soon as possible.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Carl on August 3, 2021.

I don't remember where I've read it exactly, but in a comment section somewhere there was a guy who wrote that a violent hammer is better than a pacifist hammer. This statement makes as much sense as the band's name, which is none, but I just wanted to share this with you, the reader. And in all fairness, as a band name it really gives a good idea of what the music is going to sound like. That Creed cover band your sister's husband formed to get through his midlife crisis isn't going to be called Violent Hammer, that's for sure.

The band immediately kicks it into high gear right from the start, not wasting any time to get the point across. This is savage, primitive and pummeling black/death metal intent on breaking bones and mangling bodies. A major influence is the death metal infused black metal style of a band like Archgoat or Conqueror, with fast primitive battering and raw tremolo picking alternating with slower sections designed to pummel and pound, all within a frame that has no place for melody or any other musical subtleties. Some guitar leads do pop up throughout, but these mostly are violent bursts of fast picked a-melodic insanity in the best Blasphemy tradition, so no Yngwie Malmsteen shit here. The vocals are gruff and cavernous sounding reverb-drenched bellows, that complement the sonic assault very well, although they are pretty one-sided in execution. As a whole the band reminds me of a rougher, tougher version of what a band like Bestial Mockery did in the early 00's, being a high-octane crust punk fueled black/death metal band with some thrash leanings added. It's harsh in execution, utterly primitive in sound and the album's over before you know it, so basically everything you could want from a band in this style.

This is some great no-frills black/death metal, but a few minor points of criticism remain. As mentioned above, there are the somewhat one-sided vocals, but the individual tracks come roaring by in a way that sounds like it's one long song. I had this album on my Mp3 player on a loop, and it was kinda difficult to discern where the last track ended and the first one commenced. Still, this is extreme metal primitivism that has no need for any niceties, as it is meant to pummel the listener into submission with raw power, and in that it well and truly succeeds.

This is recommended listening for all who like it raw, primitive and belligerent.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Alex on May 23, 2020.

I wonder, does this record come with a lyric sheet? It'd be quite interesting and amusing for that matter, to read the script in an attempt to make sense of what's being exclaimed, when lining it up with the vocal savagery on Riders of the Wasteland by Violent Hammer. Also, I think 'Raiders' of the Wasteland would have been a more suitable title for an album this sort, judging by both the cover artwork's artistic direction and overall music accompanying it.

Barbaric, prehistoric, caveman remnants; impulsive at its core, Riders of the Wasteland displays no restrain; some song influences, can be traced back to fellow countrymen Archgoat, a tiny bit of Beherit and maybe a slight touch of Crurifragium. However, the band's own DNA can be heard through the shabby production and the vicious attack, predicated by all facets but primarily the vocals. You pick a random word associated with this genre and it would be an accurate description of the foul mentality represented. Bestial howls, deranged drumming and psychopathic riffing, Riders of the Wasteland is a face-down hammering, nail to nail, stone to stone.

Riders of the Wasteland is not the kind of record you could rate based on diversity, song-structure or any of that nerdy shit; instead, this is the kind of thing you'd find more comfort and gratification in when making comparisons to a fucking ogre. 'Death Squad' is an undomesticated advance made towards all witnessing the musical mauling. Already devastated by the clobbering, 'Annihilation (Victims of Bomb Raid)' proceeds to add salt to a still bleeding wound with a dreaded downpour of mostly mid-paced doomy snare punctures. '(Trapped) in Depths', treats you like a fat slob of bloody stake and rips you apart with a Polynesian shark-tooth sword after being tenderized by a hand-crafted Neanderthal club.

The album as a whole is primitive; take the vocals for instance, analyze the way it gives some account of how the first words uttered by man were so undeveloped and fossilized. Meanwhile the guitars and drums bare resemblance to a mud-hut put together overnight. Not to say the musicians lack the virtues of composing technically and/or rhythmically enjoyable songs, but that has no purpose on something this sort and Violent Hammer gets that.

Riders of the Wasteland is not meant for you to sip tea to or have a vegan lunch over, this is for the men that live in the gym, have a high intake of calories and despise shaving or anything that has to do with appearing presentable, approachable/hygienic. Metal for Man. A true ancestral beat down. Sasquatch would be proud.

Rating: 8.8 out of 10