A Voice from Centuries Away

Canada isn't as well known for black metal as their neighbours, the United States, but the underground scene has been growing for quite some time now. There are a number of acts within the cold boarders of Canada that have put pressure on both the American scene, and scenes abroad to perform. Whilst the underground from the aforementioned country has been screaming for attention, the Canadian underground has been slowly, but surely coming along in silence. Until now, that is.


Pagan Hellfire can't typify what the Canadian scene is all about because this one man act is rather different from most of the Canadian bands i've heard. Scratch that. Pagan Hellfire are different full stop. Whilst this band will probably never set the world alight, Pagan Hellfire will appear to do what they do best. 'A Voice From Centuries Away' has stood the test of time. Why? It's relatively easy to understand. Simplistic black metal done right. That is all there is to it. Whilst avant-gardé has steadily forced it's way into the style of many black metal acts all over the world, Pagan Hellfire are keeping it somewhat traditional, but with a few minor differences that set them apart from the rest.


Whilst Canada isn't exactly thriving on it's black metal exports, Pagan Hellfire appear to be opening themselves up to a wide fanbase across the world. The music of this black metal act doesn't epitomise the genre as a whole, but as I say, it does hold some traditional aspects. First, those rasping vocals are what one might expect from a band of this very nature. They're callous and cold, just as one might expect them to be. Does it suit Pagan Hellfire's sound? Yes, very much so. Pagan Hellfire aren't traditional in the worst ways. The production is top notch, so don't expect to hear a bedroom act on 'top form' here because you'll be disappointed, or is that relieved? As I say, the production isn't traditional. By that I mean what one would come to expect of the early 1990's black metal acts, mostly originating from Scandinavia. Those chainsaw affects on guitar and that bass one cannot hear behind the sound of what appears to be a blender in the background. The production is clear. This allows every aspect of Pagan Hellfire to heard and heard well.


Bass even plays a part, which is odd for most bands of this 'raw' nature. Pagan Hellfire have an edge to their sound. It's cut throat and crunchy. The guitars are the most essential element of this bands soundscapes, but that's nothing out of the ordinary for black metal acts. The riffs on offer are the most spectacular aspect. The tempo isn't as I expected it to be. Generally, bands like Pagan Hellfire keep it fast and don't allow the audience to take breath, but not Pagan Hellfire. The tempo tends to vary, which is pleasing. The very fact that it varies allows the percussion side to the Canadian band to showcase what it can do. It's not all double bass blast beats, oh no. It's varied, which is good. Sometimes, black metal bands make a habit of using the percussion only to add aggression. Whilst Pagan Hellfire do use the percussion to add an edge to their music, it's not all about aggressive soundscapes. The use of filler tracks changes the mood majestically. Acoustics play a role in the emotive side to Pagan Hellfire.


The filler tracks tend to show the band in a new light. Although this isn't a bad thing, one cannot help but feel, at times, that they detract from the overwhelming emotive sides of Pagan Hellfire. By this I mean the aggressive side. There are enough times during the longer songs, which have more impact, that the tempo alters and the vocals leave the instruments to do all the talking. The variation in the guitars and the percussion doesn't make Pagan Hellfire seem at all repetitive, which is something most black metal fans would be used to. The short nature of this album is the main feature that lets it down.