Review by Felix on October 14, 2025.

Deathhammer's albums are never bad, but are they really a must-buy? From my point of view, they have an undeniable impact, but in many cases it begins to fade away quickly. "Crimson Dawn", the new output, seems to continue this tradition. The band does not disappoint anyone's expectations. We get eight more songs full of Satanic panic and hysteria, but without an overdose of murderous, long-lasting riffs. The songwriting skills of the duo still leave room for optimization. I admit that I took comparatively a large number of attempts to get access to the album. However, now I am in the game.

The constant hysterical barking of Sergeant Salsten and the totally restless guitar lines have the potential to damage the listener's nerves. Sometimes I wish there were more structure, more room for the guitar riffs to come into their own and one iota more catchiness. Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely nothing against high velocity per se when it comes to metal. But everything can be done very well or less successful. Of course, "Crimson Dawn" contains a couple of pretty fascinating tracks. "Nocturnal Windz Of Fire" shows the most murderous riffs of the two long-haired freaks with the torches, while "Legacy Of Pain" paints another picture. The duo is somersaulting in its endeavour to sound as rapid and vengeful as possible. This track, as well as the remaining ones, is free from any form of cardinal sin. It is only regrettable that Deathhammer did not give it its most effective configuration.

The album is still strong enough to make a statement. Mangy sounds are almost always a good thing, even if they do not result in a big bang of outstanding quality. Moreover, Deathhammer do not confuse the audience with a new approach which reduces their previous works to absurdity. Last but not least, they have forged a compact album which does not fall victim to repetitions, pointless interludes, overly long film samples or any samples. The only part which is too long is the hail-Satan-outro, which is embedded in the relatively pompously designed closer. That's forgivable.

The production gives no reason to complain. "Crimson Dawn" appears direct, wild and, just like the compositions, slightly nerve-shattering. It is no foggy mix nor a heartless sound. Okay, it fails to lend the tracks more clear contours, but I guess one cannot demand this. Deathhammer act at the border to chaos and this is what the production depicts. For people who fall asleep while listening to Hellbutcher, "Crimson Dawn" is the right medicine. Maybe it makes sense to check out "Stygian Lust" or "Satan's Sword" – there songs barrel along the highway of black thrash in a breathtaking speed and hit the mark pretty well. Sometimes destructive negativity, a well-structured solo ("Satan's Sword"), a cool chorus or a short powerful mid-tempo part ("Stygian Lust") can make things better. With this said, it is okay that Deathhammer stagnate on a good level. No more, no less.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10