Of Frost and War (CD - 2008)

The unsettling weather conditions of the Netherlands could be one reason why it still remains a hotbed of extreme metal. Inspired by a shared affinity for old-school death metal, former members of Thanatos, Gorefest, Houwitser, and Pestilence joined forces to form Hail Of Bullets. Their debut for Metal Blade Records, OF FROST AND WAR, unleashes track after unrelenting track of brutally thrashy, drudgey, down-tuned heaviness.

Nothing like a drinking session among old friends and a discussion about such old-school death metallists as Autopsy, Bolt Thrower, Celtic Frost, and Death to help jump-start the formation of a new extreme metal band. And that's precisely what happened when the eventual members of Hail of Bullets met up one fateful night in late 2006, in the city of Amersfoort, Holland. Fast forward two years and the release of the quintet's debut full-length, 2008's Of Frost and War, is upon us. Very similar stylistically to the aforementioned bands (which was the whole point, wasn't it?), Of Frost and War does not disappoint, as such tracks as "Ordered Eastward," "Advancing Once More," and "Nachthexen" simply roar from your speakers in a way that only the extreme metal bands of yore really could. While it is a bit derivative, the sheer force of Of Frost and War is quite impressive. ~ Greg Prato minimize