Hell - Hell (2017)

By Matt Hinch. Think of all those bands you know that are “the definition of heavy”. Conan, Electric Wizard, Crowbar, Hymn, Monolord, etc. If Salem, Oregon’s Hell isn’t on that list, you need a new list. The one-man doom entity helmed by M.S.W.

By Matt Hinch.


Think of all those bands you know that are “the definition of heavy”. Conan, Electric Wizard, Crowbar, Hymn, Monolord, etc. If Salem, Oregon’s Hell isn’t on that list, you need a new list. The one-man doom entity helmed by M.S.W. (that has become a touring band!) digs deep to bring to the surface a heaviness that radiates from whatever listening device you’re using and draws the world, in all its darkness, closer and closer until you are forced to lower your head in praise. This is their first full-length, entitled Hell, since the trilogy of full-lengths (Hell, Hell II, Hell III) concluded in 2012, and the 2015 EP (also Hell) and it blows everything away with pure power, tone, and volume.

The anti-festivities begin with “Helmzmen”. It starts with the mayday call of the Northern Belle (sunk in the Gulf of Alaska in 2010) and that visual of a sinking ship represents well the feeling Hell gives the listener. (Not to mention a general world view.) It’s nautically heavy. Unfathomably so. As huge as the vastness of the oceans. It fills you with the sense of terrifying dread that comes from knowing there is no one to save you from certain death. Every note cracks the sternum and soils your soul with the sickness of impending doom. (Although only one of the four crew members perished.)

There’s a point where the track breaks into a rage of blackened swiftness, albeit brief and fleeting, before returning to bury the world in tone. Otherwise the track, like most others on the album, features vocals straight from the bowels of Hell itself. Chilling, churning doom slickened with varied paces from barely moving to a rolling gait that crushes all, continuously beats you down with monumental heaviness.

Similarities to aforementioned bands like Electric Wizard (“Machitikos”) and Conan (“Wandering Soul”) can be heard but they’re subtle and in my opinion more coincidental than intentional. M.S.W. doesn’t need to rip other bands off. “Machitikos” has a syrupy groove that evolves into an atmospheric display of darkness more evil that you should be comfortable with and a screaming solo over unstoppable rhythms that grip like a vice. “Wandering Soul” has that plodding battle doom feel with dominant riffs, more strange, chilling atmosphere, and build ups that always pay off. It only takes one heart-stopping note to make anything pay off on this album.

Sickening shrieks and gut wrenching growls meet with chants on “Inscriptus” as drone clashes with chunky riffs, plodding pace and noise to continually, with deliberately forceful notes, slowly break down any resistance.

“Victus” clocks in as the most epic track. As heavy as the rest, it sometimes feels like you can hear the amps struggling not to implode. The demonic vocals and doomed-out slog are still present but there’s an airy section more akin to say, Cascadian black metal (not necessarily Wolves in the Throne Room-esque but…). It lends an extra sense of contemplation at odds with heaviness. Any doubts that accompany this change are washed away on the sounds of gentle violin (Gina Eygenhuygen) and a lonesome guitar. It’s not loud or totally crushing but the contrast feels entirely natural and still plenty doomed. The violins still hang around when the tentative peace is broken by a piercing scream, bringing extra gravitas to the pounding riffs. The completeness of the track, and the journey it takes the listener on, is worth the price of admission on its own. The previously mentioned tracks as well as “SubOdin” and closer “Seelenos” with its spoken word samples (TED Talk on suicide) and gorgeous operatic vocals (courtesy of Karli McNutt) seem like added bonuses and more than welcome despite the feeling of utter defeat one often experiences throughout Hell.

Contrary to how some extreme doom can feel like an exercise in pure heaviness for the sake of it, Hell retains a strong sense of catchiness for lack of a better word. The riffs fester like an untreated wound and unexpectedly burst through your mind with a force as bloodily striking as the album’s frightful cover.

Hell is skin-crawlingly outstanding. M.S.W. has crafted what could easily be considered an instant doom classic. It took a few years but one listen is enough to convince doom fans that the wait was more than worth it as the album will not fade over time. As superb as it is mind-numbingly heavy, Hell invites you below to wallow in darkness, despair and excruciating doom.

Hell / Amarok - Split

Written by Matt Hinch.


Originally released last year on cassette, this split between Hell and Amarok was recently released on vinyl. Even more recently the split was finally made available on Bandcamp. And what a split it is.

In Christianity there is but one Hell. Buddhist tradition has three "Hell realms". In the Game of Thrones universe there are seven. And Metal Archives lists nine bands going by the name of Hell. Trying to figure out which one this was initially proved difficult. To save you the trouble, this Hell resides in Salem, OR and is the one-man project of M.S.W. This side of the split consists of three songs put together as one 18+ minute track. The first act, "Deonte" is pure, lo-fi, bowel-evacuating doom. Its earthquaking tone and lethargic pace are so entrancing you won't even notice your bong shaking off the table. I mean, it's tuned so low the journey down there feels like Dante's Inferno; the listener being dragged down to successfully agonizing depths. The scraping feedback buried in the mix is downright creepy. It sounds almost like a swingset in an abandoned park, swaying back and forth in desperate need of some oiling. It sounds like emptiness and innocence lost.

"Oblitus" has a bit more of that Electric Wizard vibe felt throughout. It's a little quicker in spots but still painfully slow. The guitars here serve a more atmospheric role behind the synced bass and drums pounding at the castle gate. There's a riff in there that absolutely destroys entire planets. It's the main riff but when it hits around the 7:55 mark, resistance caves in. "Oblitus" is an unstoppable mass that rolls triumphant into the track's third movement.

"Dolore"'s screeching feedback gives rise to another monstrous riff, punishing in its might and molasses thick pace. The continuous pounding drags the listener low, as M.S.W.'s anguished screams expound pain and emptiness (as they do on the other songs as well). Here "Dolore" takes a turn in a decidedly Pallbearer-ish direction. The focal point shifts from the disgusting bass to an ethereal atmosphere saturated with emotion. Violins and clean tones close out Hell's side of the split. The melancholic and naked feel of the track's end gives one the feeling that no matter how intimidating the beast is, deep down they still have feelings.

Chico, CA's Amarok handles the other side. The most immediate difference heard is that Amarok's production is much cleaner and definitely louder. One can also sense this is a full band as opposed to Hell's one-man stance. But the split makes sense as Amarok employ the funereal pace too. A sound and feel similar to Pallbearer can be heard here as well. Dual growling and blackened vocals play off each other, tossing the listener from great heights to subterranean lows. The track, "Red Oak Wisdom" displays the strength of a mighty oak indeed, as well as patience and age. Patience is needed as Amarok continue to drone on with hypnotic repetition. It's a monotony not all listeners may be able to endure. The middle section of this 20 minute opus bears melody punctuated by measured, thudding drums and delicate cymbal work. Words like stately, forsaken, hopeless and solitary come to mind. Distant blackened screams scrape at the edge of consciousness. One uplifting note gives a flicker of hope that fades in the blink of an eye into more despair. The tides slowly change giving rise to the return of Amarok's destructive force. The mind-numbing repetition continues with some vocal call and response tearing the listener apart between sky and earth. The rumbling doom gets run through with some melodious guitar as well but only briefly. As the marathon is completed the listener is driven deep, deep down and left utterly spent.

This split isn't easy to listen to and depending on preference one may enjoy one side much more than the other. The pairing is apt however as both outfits incorporate similar elements. Both use despondency and tone to their advantage and thrive on discomfort countered with ambience. Make no mistake, this is some heavy shit.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

Hell - III

Hell - III is the final installment in a trilogy seeing Hell move from a filthy, sludgy kind of doom to a more orchestrated and atmospheric sound. Adding blackened elements, drone, and beautiful clean guitar parts. And actually making the

Gustave Dore - Purgatory IX

Hell - III is the final installment in a trilogy seeing Hell move from a filthy, sludgy kind of doom to a more orchestrated and atmospheric sound. Adding blackened elements, drone, and beautiful clean guitar parts. And actually making the sludgy, doom sound incredibly heavy, because of the contrast with the more atmospheric passages. Vocals are utterly harrowing screams; this combined with the Gustave Dore art adorning all three albums, and the choir section of the second track "Decedere" made me think of

Falling from you heavens to the hellish dirt of our hellish earth
your voice silent, music, drone, will never enter your ears ever again

An hermit monk sitting in an decrepit temple on top of a secluded mountain. Screaming in hatred and torment to the Gods that have abandoned him. And writhing in quiet rapture when filled with hallucinogenic revelations coming from his twisted mind. Or somewhere beyond.

The track below is the last one from Hell - II. It fits in very well with the two songs from III. Together these three songs have been in heavy rotation since I bought them. I really can't recommend this enough.