Review by ZeroSymbolic7188 for Master's Hammer - Ritual (1991)

This was a new one for me, and I'm glad I found it. It's an absolute banger. 

The music on this album is so good that I was compelled to look up the translations. To my pleasant surprise it's not just a bunch of satan slop. The lyrics here are definitely occult, but not outright satanic and that's the diference to me between mundane and interesting. You can find them here: https://ultimatemetal.com/threads/masters-hammer-english-language-translations.522936/ Good job lads! 

Sonically, it sounds like Bathory mixed with the first two Metallica albums. Though it is never as fast or tight as the Kill 'em All or Ride the Lightning, that's part of the charm here. Instead the riffs have some room to breath, and this gives the album some grooves that remind me of traditional doom metal in a bizarre way. 

Saving the best for last. the vocalist on this album is František Štorm, which I hope is pronounced something like "Frantic Storm", because that's his vocal approach. He throws every black metal technique you can ask for at the wall in this one. He is a fascinating man, a Czech born guy that likes to spend his time in India, and he's also a teacher, as I am. I would absolutely love to pick his brain. His voice has a very unique timbre that's hard to describe-something of a Black Metal Goblin. It's either going to put you off, or it's going to be the most fun voice you've heard in the genre. I'll leave you with a picture of the handsome devil: https://cdn.xsd.cz/original/e64695d280c8355a8ca284ca97f5a2a5.jpg

Now go enjoy this album. I certaintly did!