ASPHYXIUM ZINE

Sunday, October 13, 2024

EP Review: Sledgehammer Guillotine "Death by the Hammer" (Conjuring Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Sledgehammer Guillotine
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Country: USA
Genre: Progressive thrash metal
Format: Digital
Label: Conjuring Records
Release date: August 19, 2024
Omar Guerra, a Texas native who has worked with bands including Dirigiri, Iniquitous and K.O.D. and is currently president and CEO of the indie label Conjuring Records, is one of the co-founders of Sledgehammer Guillotine with Carlos Cereceres.
As his band’s name and the title of their EP suggests, the foundation of “Death by the Hammer” is mostly based on classic/old school thrash, with note progressions constructed similarly to those of Destruction and Kreator in their early years. Sledgehammer Guillotine’s range as a band doesn't end with German thrash, however.
The Mike Sifringer/Mille Petrozza-inspired riffs are given a certain degree of groove by the frequent breakdowns occurring in between the semi-chaotic thrash sections. There are other places where you can hear blast, motifs of power and prog metal, dissonant guitars and tremolo picking, and the ominous undertones of early Death and Pestilence.
The EP's atmosphere brought back memories of when I first saw horror and gore films from the 70s and 80s while discovering thrash bands, and I was reminded of going to a club to see a local band for the first time. This was most likely the subject matter of zombie apocalypses and premature burials, and it brought back memories of seeing local band in clubs. This was probably the theme of premature burials and zombie apocalypses, as well as the cover of Kreator’s “Under the Guillotine” included at the end.
“Cadaver Waltz” features a chorus evocative of early death metal, discordant black metal and a breakdown akin to old Kreator. The musicianship strikes a nice mix between tightness and dirtiness, with the drums contributing linear relentlessness. “Buried Alive” and “Brain Stomp,” in which the vocals at times remind me of Geoff Tate (Queensryche) and King Diamond (Mercyful Fate), are examples of their inspiration in power, prog and American thrash while they enhance their cover of “Under the Guillotine” with blast.
Although Sledgehammer Guillotine is a local band signed to a relatively small label their work goes well beyond that. If they continue to integrate and tighten everything while making it more uniquely theirs, it has the potential to become lethal. –Dave Wolff

Track list:
1. Cadaver Waltz
2. The Guillotines Lines
3. Buried Alive
4. Brao Stomp
5. Under the Guillotine Kreator Tribute

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