Asphyx - Deathhammer

Another quickie to celebrate as I just finished my paper: Asphyx's Deathhammer.

Asphyx is a longstanding death metal band from the Netherlands that produced the classic Last One On Earth. Despite being signed to Century Media, the production on Deathhammer seems adequate if a bit compressed. The doomier elements of Asphyx's sound are expressed on tracks like "Minefield" and "As the Magma Mammoth Kisses" and the more Swedish death metal-sounding tracks like "Of Days When Blades Turned Blunt" and the title track are fun, simple old-school romps. Deathhammer does have the modern death metal sound underneath all the effects though, which is kind of alienating for older fans. If you liked the sound on Sonne Adam's Transformation and the typical Swedish death metal sound, then you'll probably like this. However if you're expecting the next great death metal release or even an outstanding throwback album, you're not going to find it here.

7.25 out of 10

Tracklisting:

1.	Into the Timewastes
2.	Deathhammer
3.	Minefield
4.	Of Days When Blades Turned Blunt
5.	Der Landser
6.	Reign of the Brute
7.	The Flood
8.	We Doom You to Death
9.	Vespa Crabro
10.	As the Magma Mammoth Rises
11.	Death the Brutal Way [7" Version, 2008]
12.	Os Abysmi Vel Daath [Celtic Frost cover, 7" 2008]