DEMOLITION HAMMER — Tortured Existence (review)

DEMOLITION HAMMER — Tortured Existence album cover

Album · 1990 · Thrash Metal

5/5 · 2023-04-14
UMUR

"Tortured Existence" is the debut full-length studio album by US, New York based thrash metal act Demolition Hammer. The album was released through Century Media Records in September 1990. Demolition Hammer formed in 1986 under the Overlord monicker, but changed their name to the current one in 1987. The "Skull Fracturing Nightmare" demo was released in 1988 and it was followed by the "Necrology" demo from 1989. The latter secured Demolition Hammer their label deal with Century Media Records, and if you´re familiar with the high quality of the material on the demo, that deal makes perfect sense.

So it´s only natural that all six tracks from the "Necrology (1989)" demo were re-recorded and included on "Tortured Existence". The original CD version of the album included the bonus track "Cataclysm" (which was not included on the original vinyl version of the album), which was a track also featured on the "Skull Fracturing Nightmare (1988)" demo, but other than that track, no other tracks from the first demo are included on "Tortured Existence". So if you already have the two demos the only new material on this album are "Gelid Remains" and "Paracidal Epitaph".

Stylistically the material on the album are aggressive and brutal thrash metal. Sometimes referred to as death/thrash metal. The death metal reference is probably mostly a result of "Tortured Existence" being recorded at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida, with producer Scott Burns, which/who were basically the house studio and producer for the vast majority of the early US death metal acts (artists like Obituary, Deicide, and Cannibal Corpse). Many of whom recorded their early releases simultaneously with Demolition Hammer recording "Tortured Existence". "Tortured Existence" features a murky, low-end, and very raw sounding production job, which definitely could lead your thoughts toward death metal, but if you listen to the thrashy riffs, the blistering guitar solos, the song structures, and lead vocalist/bassist Steve Reynolds caustic voice and aggressive and raw delivery, everything just scream thrash metal. Another thrash metal/crossover element, which is quite dominant on the album is the omnipresent use of riot gang choir vocals, which is probably due to Demolition Hammer being from New York and having been influenced by the strong 80s crossover/hardcore scene of that city.

Although Demolition Hammer use tried and true thrash metal elements, and basically just add some brutality, aggression, and heaviness to the mix, they still manage to create a sound and style that is unmistakably their own. Reynolds has a recognisable voice and his diction/phrasing is outstanding. The often intelligent and rather different lyrical subjects also provide the album with something special and help make the album stand out on the scene. How about ".44 Caliber Brain Surgery", which is about a man so haunted by his phobia for germs and parasites, that he attempts suicide, or "Neanderthal", telling the story of our barrel chested ancestors and how they hunt and kill, or "Hydrophobia", which is a song about rabies. It´s still about violence and other nasty things, like a lot of other death- and thrash metal artists are also writing about, but these lyrics are just more interesting and more well written, than what is usual for the genre.

I know I don´t share my opinion about "Tortured Existence" with many people, and I fully understand those who don´t think it´s a particularly special release, but to my ears it´s one of the best brutal thrash metal releases out there. The musicianship is on a high level on all posts and Reynolds is an absolutely brilliant raw singing vocalist, able to deliver his parts with great passion and bite, and the songwriting is both intriguing and effectful/memorable. The sound production is a bit murky and could have prospered from a bit more clearness and detail, but on the other hand it´s so damn heavy and punchy that it makes up for some of it, and the production ultimately ends up suiting the material well. A 5 star (100%) rating is fully deserved.