Band:	Bloody Hammers
Album:	Under Satan's Sun
Style:	Doom metal, Hard rock
Release date:	June 2014

01. The Town That Dreaded Sundown
02. Spearfinger
03. Death Does Us Part
04. The Moon-Eyed People
05. Second Coming
06. Welcome To The Horror Show
07. Under Satan's Sun
08. Dead Man's Shadow On The Wall
09. The Last Alarm
10. Necromancer

Let's face it: we've all been guilty of complaining about originality in music at one point or another. Many people (self included) have proudly boasted an "if it aint new, it aint true" type of outlook, rejecting many bands that recycle old formulas and don't push boundaries. Pretentious elitism aside, however, there are admittedly a good number of bands that stick to more orthodox approaches and still get the job done, and Bloody Hammers are on the scene this year as one of them.

Under Satan's Sun, the band's third album, retains most if not all of the features of their previous two: a very old time, hard rock sort of approach, with plenty of groovy riffs to accompany, and a really cheesy, spooky type of aesthetic set by the band's lyrical and visual themes (that album cover just screams Misfits influence, don'tcha think?). Opener "The Town That Dreaded Sundown," for example, kicks off with the classic "Did you ever think, when the hearse rolls by..." line, and the rest of the song rolls by with a thick, doom-ish tempo, appealing chorus, and even a little piano to help complement the vibe established by the lyrics, the other tracks following similar suit.

In addition, Bloody Hammers also make use of some clever, albeit brief audio samples and effects, such as at the beginnings of "Moon Eyed People," "Second Coming," and "Necromancer," to accentuate the pseudo-haunting feel of the music. Though effective however, this technique feels a bit underdeveloped, and probably would have served Under Satan's Sun a lot better had it been further expanded upon. After all, when the right samples are used with the right type of music, the results can be quite splendid indeed.

The key word with Bloody Hammers then, is fun. The band aren't really doing anything new or extravagant here with their third album, but the music definitely succeeds in creating a very memorable hook that ensnares the listener (or at least this one) and keeps them interested in the music's bouncy, horror rock atmosphere. Is Under Satan's Sun original? No. Creative? Not really. But I'll be damned if it isn't catchy as all hell!

Check out "Welcome To The Horror Show," and be sure to stay tuned for the album's full release on June 10th.