• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Serpent's Call is the debut album from Belgium's Violent Sin, a band that plays hyper-fast, blackened speed metal. Think Show No Mercy Slayer and early Exciter and perhaps Barbatos for a more recent reference point. The speed is unrelenting, the guitars a cacophony, and the vocals a high-pitched growl interspersed with ear-piercing shrieks that are low in the mix. This gives their hellish vibe a boost, but they are also difficult to understand. The drums have a good, analog sound despite their rapidity and are really the propulsive base for Violent Sin's sound. There's nothing remotely memorable on Serpent's Call in terms of individual songs, due to the nearly indistinguishable blur in which they go by, but I can't say I wasn't banging the air drumsticks on multiple occasions. While perhaps not truly black/thrash, Violent Sin's music is close enough to that seemingly infinite well of grit and grime that fans of the style will probably enjoy this album. A little more clarity in the production would suit my taste more but your mileage will undoubtedly vary.