Gallhammer
Ill Innocence

Recorded in Oslo between the end of 2006 and the beginning of the previous year [?] under the guidance (no less) of the exegete Mr. Nocturno Culto (Dark Throne, for the less darkly engulfed) and released a few months later by Peaceville Records, "The Sick Innocence" turns out to be, in all respects, the second full-length work brought forth by the three [Mika Penetrator - vocals, guitar - Vivian Slaughter - vocals, bass - Risa Reaper - drums, vocals] little more than very young Japanese Gallhammer.

The iconography accompanying it and the grim image adopted (subliminal regulation shirts: Celtic Frost, Amebix, complete with brutish deathster poses) would leave very little hope regarding the credibility of the proposal, as well as limited scope on the potential artistic capabilities of the trio.

Nothing could be more wrong. As usual.

To be clear, not that it’s all gold, but at the same time, it seems appropriate and opportune to highlight, amid the sparse furiously doom/death lycanthropic numbers ("At The Onset Of The Age Of Despair", "Speed Of Blood", among the most successful) that permeate its sulfurous basic structure, some interesting attempts at vague blending that render the stern little work interesting and enjoyable from different angles.

Because among ultra-Thrash '80s pantomimes ("Ripper The Gloome") and darkly ashen ballads ("Last Scary Dream"), it takes a certain dose of savoir-faire (boldness?) to insert unexpected vocal squeaks of clear jap-pop lineage ("Blind My Eyes") into this anemic and unhealthy mire, or to delve into para-alternative rock coordinates ("Delirious Daydreamer") within corrupted guttural vocals inherited from the old Thomas G. Warrior.

UH!

(Orcocan! I just now realized that such a mess was already previously reviewed)

Let's skip everything then.