Hellion – The Magic Within
Hellion – The Magic Within
Awakening Records
Release Date: 31/03/23
Running Time: 32:56
Review by Paul Hutchings
5/10
I’m going to be honest here. The Columbian trio that comprises Hellion are as basic as they come. Full on, frantic, in your face thrash with no definition or polish. Despite the frenetic riffing and the frenzied drumming, the vocals are so bad that they detract from all the base level fretwork that is on offer here. Clipped, ragged, and utterly bizarre, perhaps it’s genuinely the intention to be different. If so, then Hellion have nailed it.
“The Magic Within” is their third album, the first since 2019’s “The Rebel Curse”. Dirty and unrefined, the band who formed in 2014 certainly bring plenty of enthusiasm with their occult themed thrash. Unfortunately, it’s so routine and formulaic that it’s at times laughable. Hellion may win the award for the best song title of 2023 in ‘Headbang Earthquake’, but they aren’t going to be earning much else anytime soon.
I suppose the aim of a band from such a metal hotbed as Columbia is genuinely to get some music out. It’s evident that the trio of Warlord, The Infernal Wizard and Mr Killer Blast are rooted in the late 1980s, for this is where their sound is located. Apart from the ridiculous names, Hellion thump along with not a care in the world, their base level production giving the drums a biscuit tin sound, whilst the overall sound reverberates like a cat being strangled. Tracks like ‘Behead the Angels’ and ‘Sword of the Warlord’ (is that a euphemism? [Yes, it is – Dirty bastard! – Dark Juan]) are ridiculously funny.
One hopes that the band don’t take themselves too seriously. To be fair, they’ve done a half decent job and I know nothing about their resources or background. Their heart is in the right place. They just aren’t there yet and have plenty of miles to travel to get there. But the point of the journey is not to arrive, so maybe Hellion are in the place they want to be. Who knows.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Renegade
02. A Touch of Hellfire
03. Sword of the Warlord
04. Black Beast
05. Headbang Earthquake
06. Behead the Angels
07. Forbidden
08. The Magic Within
LINE-UP:
Warlord – Vocals & Guitar
The Infernal Wizard – Bass
Killer Blast – Drums
LINKS:
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