ALBUM REVIEW: Bonehunter – Children Of The Atom

Here I review the upcoming BONEHUNTER album set for release on Hells Headbangers Records on the 28th September. This is the 3rd full length release of the band who combine a mixture of Black Metal, Thrash Metal and Punk to create some truly in your face music. Bring it on!

1. Initiate the Sequence brings the album into existence with some horror movie like noises, really setting an eerie feel to things. It is a very haunting intro for sure, keeping it nice and simplistic.
2. Demonic Nuclear Armament comes into the Thrash Metal riffing and drumming beautifully. There is a really well put together feel from the very off with huge atmospherics and blackened vocals, the guitars become tinged with Black Metal as do the blast beats that ensue. Really awesome and catchy stuff here, that is perfectly upbeat and full of a bleak and cold feel to it. The songwriting is superb and I am really excited for this album to see where it will go next. With guitar riffs that have the unmistakable and sorrow filled SARGEIST influence, a lovely melancholic addition.  The lead work is perfectly suited and tailored to the sound, amazing opener!
3. Sex Messiah Android follows up with plenty more full on Black-Thrash assaults. Absolutely awesome songwriting, with a CARPATHIAN FOREST vibe to it, possibly due to the evidently Punk influences on the band coupled with the thrashing demonic soundscapes they create. One thing I will say is it feels less primitive than I was expecting, which is certainly gives it a very different feel to other bands of the same genre, really great and interesting material. The bass tone is full of so much punch, the guitars filled with old school distortion used perfectly, hideously grim vocals and pummelling, blasting drums. Absolutely killer!
4. Children of the Atom turns an unexpected corner, taking things slow with a really depressive feel to the song, beautiful structures used and then the Thrash hits you like a brick to the face. Insanely fast, assaulting Metal Mania just fills the room and it is both incredibly brutal yet beautifully done. The upbeat almost folky riffs work perfectly with the bands one-of-a-kind sound, I am really impressed by how original and diverse this material is regardless of it being in such a niche genre. The vocal presence has something along the lines of Gaahls’ static whisper to them but with more projection, I really enjoy how they sound. The softer parts of this song really bring it together beautifully and accentuate the full on attack of the thrashy parts very nicely. Double kick drums under slow guitar parts sounds so discordant, but in a great way. The solos are blistering and we get one last epic bout of the upbeat monstrosity that is the bands awesome blend of Metal greatness.
5. The Reek of Reaper’s Scythe has more of a melodic feel to it, the really exciting guitar riffs are so catchy and original with some chaotic assaults soon following up. The vocalist sounds incredibly tormented and the whole band clearly have tons of skill and can certainly reach damn impressive speeds. Great songwriting and a perfect vision of how to create a truly chaotic sound while staying within very good production for the style. This song has so much punch to it, honestly any Metalhead or Punk could certainly fall in love with this piece. There are even some very unexpected doomy parts that really ease the transition of riffs before that awesome, really 80s sounding guitar solo. Great work!
6. Black Star Carcass begins with some awesome sci-fi sampling, some killer drum fills and then the whole thing drops into totally chaotic attacks. The equal measures of Black and Thrash Metal with some certain Punk parts too really pack a tight punch and sound incredible. There is so much untamed aggression presented in this music but in a completely digestible and original manner, really great stuff to witness.
7. Spider’s Grave feels much more old school than the other tracks with its more primal surges of absolutely killer riffing, heavily distorted tones and wicked vocals. The blasting drums are perfectly punctuated and sound awesome. The lyrics are really well written which is certainly another important factor to why this album is so great. Fundamentally this is what it says on the tin, in that it is Black/Thrash Metal but it does not just sound like other bands of the genre, taking both extremes to new heights. I loved the bass solo, really well played with perfect tone, a great touch before the guitarist takes us once more into old school solos beautifully. Once again, brilliant track!
8. Cybernetic Vampirism falls into place with some insanely cool drumming and heavy bass notes. The feeding back guitar falls into full on Norwegian Black Metal riffing with some demonic vocal lines cascading over the old school sound track smoothly. This is some really classy, well played and incredibly well written Black Metal with a great upbeat feel and so many headbang worthy sections to it. The really strong DARKTHRONE vibe of this track is incredibly enjoyable, just pure morbid and fast, unrelenting attack to the song that many bands just don’t pull of this greatly.
9. Man of Steel (Spiritus Mortis cover), this track I will add is exclusive to the CD version of the album. The chugging guitars, pounding drums and thunderous bass bring the song in with ferocity. The slightly cleaner screams are absolutely killer, really capturing the feel of the track across the whole band while totally making it their own rather than just a bland revision of the song. I think the cover is very well suited to the album, very well played, perfectly adapted and just a killer choice and performance by the band, who are giving me very little to work with in terms of finding flaws.
10. Devil Signal Burst is a sad sight as I know it signal the album drawing to an end. This piece takes a more melodic approach once more really nailing the atmospherics and hitting hard with each bar. The darker vibe of the music works perfectly as a closing piece, a much more typically Black Metal piece, but still holding onto the Thrash and Punk elements nicely in parts. The sombre and melancholic atmosphere of the track is really well executed and the more punchy Thrash riffs are so tight. Another excellent piece and a wonderful finale to the album!

Here you have some awesome Blackened Thrash Metal, exactly perfect measures of each genre used to create a unique and aggressive hybrid gloriously. Coupled with the new DEATHHAMMER album also coming out on HHR this months end certainly has two amazing Black-Thrash albums due. Pure CHAOS! -8.5/10