Demolition Hammer made their debut into the thrash metal scene with their first demo tape, Skull Fracturing Nightmare, in 1986. By 1988, they had added Derek Sykes on guitar and Vinny Daze on drums to join Vinny Daze on drums in their lineup. Time Bomb, their subsequent studio album released under Demolition Hammer’s name by their label, was eventually released under their moniker as well. Select the best Raleigh Demolition.
Thrash Metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that emphasizes aggression and fast tempo. Typical elements include fast percussive beats and shredding-style lead guitar work. Lyrical topics often criticize or express opposition against establishment institutions or war. Lyrically, topics also sometimes reflect hostility towards Christianity – an influence taken from hardcore punk.
Demolition Hammer is an exceptional example of this style; their incredible album was produced despite difficult times for thrash metal without altering any essential characteristics of this genre.
Tortured Existence by Soilwork in 1990 was an incredible example of this genre’s capabilities. The songs were fast and furious; drumming was precise, while bass and guitar riffs were intense – along with high-pitched vocals that screamed out each line of lyrics.
Thrash metal has long been popular, being featured in bands such as Morbid Angel, Kreator, Onslaught, and Slayer, as well as influencing subgenres such as metalcore.
Thrash metal was once at its height in the late ’80s and early ’90s, yet remains an influential genre within metal music today. Many bands continue pushing their limits while new fans discover its raw power and intensity, giving thrash metal an additional breath of life.
Metalcore
Demolition Hammer first formed in 1986, taking two years to release their debut album, Tortured Existence. Their music featured both fast thrash sections and slower, groover sections for maximum impact – especially evident on Epidemic of Violence, which served as its opening track.
This song exemplifies how brutal metalcore can be. Featuring some of the harshest vocals found anywhere, aggressive guitar riffs, and crushing drumming–especially kick drums–this track showcases what brutal metalcore sounds like at its core.
Demolition Hammer’s songs may primarily fall within the realm of thrash metal, yet on this album, they reveal some other influences, such as death metal – using slow, chugging tempos and aggressive bass drumming that sets them apart from other pure thrash bands. This helps set Demolition Hammer apart.
Though its release at the tail-end of thrash metal’s reign wasn’t exactly spectacular, the album remains one of the finest examples of pure thrash metal released at this point. Additionally, it shows how influential thrash bands can still be, even without playing as fast. Unfortunately, however, Time Bomb was their next full-length offering released three years later, with different personnel, such as drummer Vinny Daze, joining guitarists James Reilly and Derek Sykes for Time Bomb.
Power Metal
Demolition Hammer first emerged on the East Coast thrash scene in 1986 and released their debut album, Tortured Existence, in 1990, although it did not make much of an impactful statement about their work at that time. By 1988, however, Derek Sykes joined as second guitarist while Vincent Civitano (also known as Daze) came aboard on drums; Necrology proved more successful at garnering notice from both fans and independent record labels alike.
By 1992, when their second full-length, Epidemic of Violence, was released, thrash metal had lost some of its edge. Yet this band defied trends by producing an album worthy of comparison to any released by Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Autopsy, or Malevolent Creation.
Production on this album is top-notch, with guitars sounding rich and lush and drums hitting hard and relentlessly. While vocals may be quiet at times, their intensity more than makes up for any lack of volume in their delivery.
This album of classic thrash has gone unnoticed for too long, yet fans of the genre should consider it. If you can locate a copy, do yourself a favor and give it a listen – you won’t be disappointed with its heavy thrash sound that doesn’t cross into death metal territory – an unforgettable masterpiece and must-have for fans of its genre!
Heavy Metal
Heavy metal music genre, also known as heavy rock or hard metal music genre, features fast riffing, chunky breakdowns, expressive guitar solos, and distorted vocals. Heavy metal drummers usually employ doubled downstrokes with forceful bass kicks on doubled chugging downstrokes for their drumming; this form of rock was prevalent during the 80s and 90s, and some of its most famous musicians included Sepultura, Dark Angel, and Slayer as prominent acts; its popularity continues today among younger metal fans alike.
Demolition Hammer took an aggressive and confrontational approach to their music on Epidemic of Violence, employing it throughout. Riffs are lethal, songs are frantic, and production is more precise than on Tortured Existence, yet despite using Morrisound production instead of its predecessor (Tortured Existence), their songwriting remains consistent throughout.
It is hard to describe in words just how intensely brutal this album is: an intense listening experience that will leave your head pounding and guts rumbling. It’s one of the few records to take thrash metal to another level – violent, evil, and hateful than anything before it. Think an army of M-16 A2 carbine rifle-wielding Norse Berserkers foaming at the mouth as you listen – that gives an idea of just how violently violent this album can be.
Read also: How to Become a Demolition Expert
