Rats and Ravens (2020)

From Hell

Metal

Supergroup in Rock and Metal often quickly gain attention already because of their famous members like Altitudes and Attitude or Chickenfoot. This one stood out years back with their debut “Ascent From Hell” with appearance, sound and brutality.

From Hell is the band around frontman George Anderson aka Aleister Sinn, narrator of the now second horror concept album. They arose from the Bay Area, related to Nevermore, Slayer, Death Angel, Annihilator, Autopsy and High On Fire also through engineering.

This time, after emerging from the south of heaven in record number one, the story takes us to east Europe. Probably because of stories and movies from caves and evil in Slovenia, Hungary or Transylvania. Through the story, the formation again go through all genres, from mainly a lot of classic Thrash to heavy Death and Doom to Nordic Black Metal atmosphere (“The Witch”) to modern approaches like Avenged Sevenfold (“Don’t Cry For Help”).

The intransigence is materialized in the first single “Lilium”, a massiv wall of sound that manifests in your head. Between the songs, baleful noises lead from one track to another like on the first album. The new one reaches a peak in the middle. “Three And Nine” has an engrossing beginning and with its beat orientation even some Nu Metal touch making think of Sevendust.

“Forest Of The Screaming Trees” then transports the mood of the track title as it brings up images from “Lord Of The Rings” in your head. Or either the metropolis jungle drowning in foggy darkness like in the movie of the same name as the band.

Which nightmare your brain cinema is giving you exactly doesn’t matter, this record will give you the perfect Metal soundtrack for it – you’re gonna love it. An unsettling and breath-taking experience that will take hold of you: “Living rats in my head!”