Review by Felix on May 10, 2019.

Whenever my grandma (R.I.P.) heard that a young lady had become unintentionally pregnant, she smiled knowingly and said: "Nature always finds its way." That's true, but I like to add: whenever I hear rasping, sometimes galloping guitars, a rushing snare and more or less raw vocals, I smile contently, think of my grandma and say: "Speed metal always finds its way". In the case of Victim of Fate, this way has led to another continent. The dudes hail from Mexico and do what all newcomers (should) do: they play the music they like and due to the fact that they act very tightly, this demo does not sound amateurish in any way. Even the production does not originate from a dusty cellar. Of course, I don't listen to a professional sound, but it would be unfair to set the bar too high. The three tracks are presented with a more or less proper amount of pressure and the guitars dominate without marginalizing the contributions of bass, drums and vocals. And so, coming back to my grandma, the band can be proud of its first baby.

Victim of Fate have a good grasp of compact compositions and maybe the solid riffs that carry the songs are just the harbinger of something greater. Speculations aside, the riffs guarantee a more than acceptable level and especially "Wiredslave" has a raw, aggressive touch that fits the musical approach very well. Furthermore, its solo hits the mark - no doubt, the guitar work marks the greatest asset of the band. The vocals leave room for optimization, because they just accompany the six strings without leaving their own aroma. But this is not to say that they reveal major deficiencies. Better still, the entire demo is free from serious flaws. I don't know how much time it took to record the songs in this form, but the result is convincing.

Frankly speaking, this material whets the appetite for more and I hope that Victim of Fate don't get lazy. Maybe they can convince 50% of the citizens of Mexico City to buy this demo - this should be motivation enough to go on. But jokes aside, even if this is not possible, they can count on the support of the underground metal maniacs worldwide. Victim of Fate will not unhinge the world, but they deliver three songs that reflect the unbroken fascination of speed metal. And, as mentioned above, speed metal always finds its way. Ask your grandma, if you don't believe it.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Review by Felix on September 17, 2023.

Unhallowed – this is not just the name of this new German force, but also an inspiration for their influence and style. As soon as the mighty opener and title track unfolds its melodic yet malignant elegance, I am standing “in the cold winds of nowhere” and I stare at the “black horizons”. Do I need to say more? Jon N. was probably one of the sickest minds in extreme metal ever, but his musical legacy lives on and so Unhallowed open the gates to broad landscapes. Whoever crosses them feels both pleasant shivers and oppressive horror at the same time. The smooth flow of the songs does not conceal the ingrained blackness of Unhallowed’s art. The intensive guitars build the basis for the dense sound. They flatten everything from time to time, but mostly they create great melody lines.

Okay, the outstanding size of the title track remains unrivalled, but it is not only the desperate and hellish 'Child Of Wrath' which has a lot to say as well. It sparks a maelstrom of emotions and takes the listener on a swashbuckling journey. Or take 'We Shall Reap', it’s nothing less than another very good ambassador of Awaken The Black Flame. Visions conveying guitar melodies meet a core of unyielding hardness. That’s just a very appealing combination. 'Toward The Abyss' shows that the musicians also do not shy away from pretty strict, thundering and double bass driven high-speed parts. Nevertheless, the song stays within the given frame of this debut.

The entire work results in a coherent impression, because Unhallowed see no sense in making risky experiments. I appreciate this attitude, because their style gives enough room for variation and although the band comes out of the blue, the musicians are able to use their options as cleverly as a bartender uses the cocktail shaker. Awaken The Black Flame scores with maturity, but it is not at the expense of vitality. The mix lacks a little differentiation and album does not sound modern, that’s true. Nevertheless, its aesthetics are not covered in cobwebs either. It marks both, a tribute to one of the most influential bands of the nineties and also an autonomous work whose quality is amazing in view of some almost magical melody lines. The only monotonous detail are the sinister, commanding vocals and honestly speaking: I don’t care. They are a stable factor in the sound of this debut and there are enough other bands that deliver clean, heroic or (God forbid!) female vocals. Therefore you will not be surprised that I can recommend this full-length, which is based on well-defined ambitions, with a clear conscience. Perhaps even the confused mind of Jon N., wherever he is now, will understand that this album is a worthy tribute to his memory.

Rating: 8 out of 10