Second Hell/Skull Crusher (HOL/HOL)- Metal Deadness 12" LP

(Killer Elite Records 1986)

This recent dig from the mid '80s simply made the notion of obscure "proto" black metal ever more alluring. Just when some of you thought you had hit the subterranean depths when you laid your hands on something like the Poison (Germany of course!) records, out pops another vent round the corner that leads to deeper hell, IF that insatiable lust still drives you on. I would have passed this one if not for the insightful education from the master Dan Edman's old website which reviewed "lost treasures" of the underground. With Dan's website gone to somewhere in oblivion, it's not just obligations from my part to please the NECROMANSY readers with yet another treasure of metal. So here we go... Notably, this LP is a split effort between two Dutch bands namely Second Hell and Skull Crusher and they could possibly be the patriachs of this black metal movement in the lowlands metal scene, notwithstanding the great Mysto Dysto (pre-Mandator) which also had some occult leanings. But this one is downright BLATANT! The coverart drawn by Wim Baelus (you know, the Belgian metal guru?) screams SATANIC in the every senses with the zombie mullethead rising from the graves and swinging his "axe" in what looks like a fucked up cemetery. That's not it, the back sleeve is adorned with huge assortments of skulls, inverted crosses, pentagrams, goatheads etc which is the most overdone satanic graphics I've seen in my life. Depraved metalheads will of course smile to that one. Now, let's move on to the music. What have we got here is old-school speed black-thrash that gives a suprisingly melodic twist than expected. The first side with Second Hell is a thoroughly brutal experience with its demonic opener "Prophets Of Hell", power thrash sound pumped with speedy gloss (imagine Mercyful Fate with more screams, more hysteria). "Homicide" and "Face The Truth" are dirtier and messier, with a riffage that parallels the Assassin debut that comes out in the same year and the black, evil urgency of Sacrifice. Skull Crusher's side is more primitive, with a dirty fucker vibe that evokes Venom, Warfare but not forgetting rock out heavy metal, and it opens with "Descent From The Cross", which grooves its way through with catchy alcoholic rhythms. From the instance of the next, "Hallelujah", it becomes endeared to Backwater sound and a power climax to the chorus. "Massacre" the finale is undoubtedly the satanic closer with galloping rhythm and a cascade of doomsday riffs that could have been ripped from Slayer's "Crionics". The music is not sheer black metal noise shit and the guys know how to play their guitars (you know those leads, licks) so this should have the appeals right up to the traditional heavy metal lovers who love to be a little adventurous sometimes. Doing such an album in '86 is an utter audacity but here we have it done in obscurity, for the black metal Masons who just love a little secrecy and silly handsigns.