Made in Hell

I will start with the negative points...
1. This album has perhaps the worst english accent I've ever heard in a greek band.
2. The production is fair enough, but nothing special (especially for the nowadays standards).
3. I often think that they have used a drum-machine instead of a real drummer.

BUT....
This album remains one of the finest releases of the hellenic metal scene!
How can that be, you may wonder.

Well, first of all these guys were real music geniouses. Their songs could have easily be composed by any other international metal band of that time. Yes, I'm talking about killer-songs here.

The sound in this album could not be defined exactly as thrash metal as we know it today, but back in 85 it was certainly thrashing. It's fast, technical in many ways, even melodic very often, but most of all true. I could say that it reminds more the early-Venom, but you get the feeling from the very beginning that it's something more than that. Although the sound is a little bit undimensioned, the good thing is that it's clear. But after all, how many albums had that good production back then?

The songs are memorable; fast playing, many (and good) changes during the playing, even most of the solos are fantastic. They also have some classical heavy moments but generally they can't be taken as heavy metal. This album is one of the least, for which I would ignore the negative points completely because of the music.

Unfortunately Flames didn't continue in the same way. Their next albums are really thrashier, each one has some good moments, but they're not as good as this one. I would say that Made in Hell is one of the best releases in the hellenic metal.

I give my rating (90%) having not forgotten the whole situation in metal in the mid80s.