Review by Felix on April 9, 2024.

One can define the big three of extreme metal, thrash, black and death, very meticulously, but sometimes their boundaries are blurred. Even purists should be able to have fun with stylistic combinations as long as the result is convincing. Speedkiller, a trio of three young ruffians from Brazil and Portugal, has created a bastard in the no man’s land between the pure forms of the aforementioned styles. Maybe I am like Pawlow’s dogs: whenever I hear a violently attacking band from Brazil, the early Sepultura comes to my mind. Inferno, the debut of Speedkiller, lies somewhere between “Morbid Visions” and “Schizophrenia” – in terms of brutality, technical skills and style. Even more important, the album spreads energetic vibes and the integrity of the musicians is beyond all doubt. These are very important elements for a great release, although they alone cannot guarantee a perfect album. Minor flaws are not excluded.

One of them are the vocals. They are not bad, but they deliver the most obvious death metal ingredient. The lead singer hisses, growls and grunts from the crypt and that’s not bad, but the death metal community (to which I do not count myself) loves static, monotonous vocals and Speedkiller accept this fact. I miss five or ten percent more variability with regard to the voice. No big deal, but there is room for improvement. Fortunately, thrash metal is also an important component here, just listen to the sharp riffs of the insanely fast, intense and murderous title track. Its only aim is to devastate and yes, it is very successful in doing so. It is amazing to experience that the band is already able to compose such a focussed track. Moreover, the song is presented in a more or less perfect frame, because the hard-hitting production with its sinister basic mood gives the track everything it needs to develop its full neckbreaking effect.

Perhaps black metal has the main part. The entire material scores with its dirty, violent charm. It isn’t a very atmospheric approach, but the basic mood of Inferno screams titles such as “Show No Mercy” or “The True Metal”. This means that people with an allergy to primitive sounds should stay away from this debut, because the dudes love it straight, direct and simple. You see I do not call their approach primitive, but more sensitive guys may have a different opinion. But songs like the closer 'Black Blitzkrieg' demonstrate that Speedkiller are able to offer diverse aromas in one song. After a very cool mid-tempo start with expressive leads in the “Hell Awaits” intro way, the song gains high velocity and the temperature rises quickly. Admittedly, 'Black Blitzkrieg' is no prime example for originality, but its wonderful thrash riffs deliver pure excitement. By contrast, the almost melancholic guitar/wind outro brings the album to a surprisingly mild end. Inferno, ornamented with a cool artwork which does not put the focus on simple shock effects, is a good album, it indicates a more than solid potential and now it is up to Speedkiller to take the next step. Guess they will manage the challenge.

Rating: 7.2 out of 10