Review: HOBBS’ ANGEL OF DEATH “Heaven Bled”

HOBBS’ ANGEL OF DEATH “Heaven Bled”
High Roller Records

Melbourne is really huge city. In Australia more populous is only Sydney. But in contrary to that, Melbourne was founded by free settlers in 1847. There was even quite long (as on history of this country) period when Melbourne was capital city – since 1901 to 1927. In Melbourne lives something like four and a half millions of people, so it’s natural that also metal scene is rather big. There’re really many bands playing several sub-genres of metal.

Here we have pure legend of not only local, bit also Australian in general scene, I think. The band was formed as a solo project of Peter Hobbs in 1987. The fact is that after releasing two demos (“Virgin Metal Invasion From Down Under“ and “Angel of Death”) and their debut album entitled the same as a band’s name, HOBBS’ ANGEL OF DEATH dissolved and was in non-existence long seven years, then they came back to release their second fill-length “Inheritance”. Now, after 21 years band released “Heaven Bled” (in meantime they released compilation “Hobbs’ Satan’s Crusade” in 2003). So as you can see band hasn’t rich discography – especially as on so long existence. But as I know life of metalhead who plays music isn’t easy.

Anyway, you surely connote words “angel of death” with some American legend based in Huntington Park, Los Angeles County, California which was found in 1981. And that’s very good connotation when it’s about music playing by HOBBS’! I can hear this influence extremely easy. But if you think that Peter (guitars, vocals) and rest of the guys just copy mentioned above band than you’re wrong. SLAYER is a huge influence, but surely not the only one. I’ll don’t write here list of all bands which come on my mind when I listen to Australians – first of all because it’d take a lot of place and would be rather bored. But all of them are/were formed yet in 80’s.

Except Peter Simon Wizen also plays guitar here, who known from being live musician in GRAVE (but he also plays in several bands as well). Two guitars in the most of cases make music richer, more complex. And that’s also like that in this case. Riffs are aggressive, but not as sharp as razor, even if they’re sharp enough. Guys play rather technically and I can hear this not only in solos, “crying guitar” and stuff like that which take place quite often – but always structure of song is priority here and they come in right moments only. Iago Bruchi’s (replaced on gigs by Brandon Gawith) drums quite variously and uses cymbals often. There’re not so many passages, but it happens a lot here. Peter’s vocal reminds me in some way Tom’s one, but it’s more about way of singing than timbre of voice. I could of course mention here more vocalists who come on my mind when I listen to HOBBS’, but for what should I do it?!? Better listen to it and you can find similarities by yourselves!

In general music is in middle tempo what doesn’t mean that we haven’t any speed-ups! I like this band very much and that’s why it took quite much time to me to write this review. I just wanted to listen to these twelve songs longer… heehhehehehe…