Sins Of The Damned – Striking the Bell of Death

Band: Sins Of The Damned
Title: Striking the Bell of Death
Label: Shadow Kingdom Records
Release date: 3 May 2019
Country: Chile
Format reviewed: High-Quality Digital Promo

I was introduced to SINS OF THE DAMNED by my brother in arms Apollo, who recommended me to check the band, knowing my love to quality speed metal. It was somewhere middle of May, and their brand new debut full-length album “Striking the Bell of Death” had been just released. So it was my duty to check the promo and listen to the Chilean band so to share my thoughts with you.

Active since 2013 and hailing from Santiago, SINS OF THE DAMNED release three demos,  a split with another Chilean band – CRIME, in 2017, and a compilation before their 2019 album to come to life. The quartet – Razor (vocals and guitars), Maot (lead gutars), Noisemaker (drums up to 2016; bass after) and Tyrant (drums) define their music as Violent Speed Metal Attack and claim their name originates from one of their favourite speed metal bands from the 80’s – Savage Grace. And indeed, those 37 minutes of “Striking the Bell of Death” are full of speed metal riffs and violent fun. Well, yes. And no. 

The record consist of seven tracks in total, as the title track is basically serves as an intro march before “They Fall and Never Rise Again” kicks in with lovely solo, galloping tempo and speedy riffs. “Take the Weapons” and “The Lion and the Prey” continue just in the same path, before I realize that although being very enjoyable and bringing great 80’s speed/thrash spirit with dark vocals, are actually too long. This I began to feel even more noticeably with “Outcast (Sign of Cain)”. The tracks are following same speed pattern and drumming tempo all the time, and being 5-6 minutes long just make them much less enjoyable with risk of getting repetitive and boring at certain point. “Victim of Hate” is half time shorter, but I was already feeling I was listening one and the same track over and over again. I had already been jumped on the conclusion that the songs are too long, unnecessary prolonged to be honest. The closing “Death’s All Around You” brought me a bit of the diversity and I enjoyed it with its repetitive chorus and its full speed ahead.

SINS OF DAMNED released a good album, full of energy, anthemic choruses, riffs and head-banging. The vocals are mean and touch the edge of the first wave of BM from the mid 80s and later. The influences by likes of RAZOR and SODOM are clear. On top come all the good and catchy solos and melodies which are included – so typical for the NWBHM from the early 80s. The album definitely has that old school feeling. I just wished it to contain much shorter but more as a number and more diverse tracks. This way it could have been the headbanger’s heaven. Anyway, check it out. 7/10 Count Vlad

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