Hellevate’s Latest LP Will Appeal Widely Among Thrash, Metal Audiences

By: Philip Sayblack

​Late this past May, independent thrash metal outfit Hellevate released its latest album, Killicon Valley.  The band’s fourth full-length studio recording, this 12-song record is a work that every thrash purist will appreciate if only for its musical arrangements.  The lyrical content that accompanies the 61-minute album’s musical body makes for its own interest.  The album’s production puts the finishing touch to its presentation, ensuring a positive general presentation.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of Killicon Valley.  All things considered they make the album a presentation that new and established audiences alike will appreciate.
Killicon Valley, the latest full-length studio recording from Hellevate, is a presentation that will appeal widely among audiences.  That is due in no small part to its featured musical arrangements.  From its beginning to its end, the arrangements are thrash at its purest.  This is evident from early on in ‘In The Long Grass.’  The blend of front man Robert Browne’s Tom Araya-esque vocal delivery with the work of his band mates – Dan Whitmer (guitar), Joshua Cole (guitar), Zack Burke (bass), and Rulow Lopez (drums) – makes the whole a solid first full impression from the band.  The term “full first impression” is used as the album’s opener, ‘D.T.C.’ is an instrumental track.  Browne’s distinct vocal delivery style carries through the rest of the album’s entries, making for plenty of engagement and entertainment, needless to say.  This alongside the steady nonstop thrash approach that the band takes in each work, conjures constant comparisons to works from the band’s more well-known counterparts, such as Exodus, Death Angel, Testament, and obviously, Slayer.  Perhaps the most notable of the moments that stands out, musically, is ‘The Rampart.’  Coming just before the album’s midpoint, it takes the band’s familiar thrash leanings and adds the most subtle touch of power metal for a whole that is truly unique.  All things considered, even with the familiarity in sound and style noted, the arrangements featured herein still maintain their own identity that help to form the album’s foundation.
Building on that foundation is the lyrical material presented alongside the album’s musical arrangements.  The lyrical content featured throughout the album definitely makes for its own interest.  Case in point, again, is the album’s first full introduction, ‘In The Tall Grass.’  This song is actually inspired, lyrically, but a scene from The Lost World: Jurassic Park, the sequel to Jurassic Park, which was itself adapted from a novel written by author Michael Crichton.  According to available information the scene in question the scene involved a group of Velociraptors ambushing a group of people in the grass on the island on which the dinosaurs live.  The information additionally states the moment in question is used as a metaphor for the ease with which negative forces in life can overtake a person.    Browne encourages listeners, in turn, to “Run/Don’t stop/Escape.”  In other words, do not let those hidden negative forces overcome us.  Basically, it is meant to be a serious song with an uplifting message to keep pressing on and not let the band things in life stop us or destroy us.  Keeping that in mind, it is a key example of how much the album’s lyrical content has to offer.
‘Part of the Tribe,’ which comes in the album’s second half, is another example of the album’s lyrical content.  According to Browne’s own comments during an interview, the song is a commentary regarding the role of technology and those at the head of the tech world today.  If interpretation is to be correct, Browne cynically refers to those heads of the tech industry that has taken over so much of our lives “shamans,” adding that “the shamans have shed my burdens.”  In other words, those tech leads have taken over our lives and control everything.  This theme is hardly anything new in the music community today but even with that mind, it is still just as welcome in this case as in that of any other band and act’s works.
‘Curse God and Die,’ the album’s finale, is yet one more example of just how much the album has to offer, lyrically speaking.  According to available information, the song’s lyrical theme takes the biblical story of Job to examine just how far a person can be pushed before finally reaching a breaking point.  This is another familiar theme that will certainly resonate widely among audiences.  Add in the irony that a metal band would use a biblical story to deliver such an impacting discussion is itself unique, too, making for even more interest.
As if everything noted is not enough, the band also addresses the familiar theme of religion’s hypocrisy (or more specifically certain religious leader types) in ‘Holy Man.’  The band also tackles (or at least seems to tackle) the felon in the White House in the form of ‘Demagogue’ and even takes on Japanese mythology in ‘Jorogumo.’  Between all of this and everything else discussed, the whole therein makes the lyrical body of Killicon Valley its own reason for audiences to take in this album.  When the album’s musical and lyrical content is considered collectively, the two sides show without question just how much the album has to offer.
Putting the final touch to the album’s presentation is its production.  As already noted, this record is another heavy, intense presentation.  It is loud and it is intense.  Thanks to the attention to detail in each song, the vocal and instrumental performances in each song are expertly balanced.  The result is a positive full general effect that when considered along with the album’s overall content, makes the whole of Killicon Valley one more welcome addition to this year’s field of new independent albums.
Killicon Valley, the latest album from Hellevate, is a strong new offering from the thrash metal outfit that will appeal widely among audiences.  This is proven in part through the album’s musical arrangements, which offer plenty of familiarity in sound and style.  The lyrical themes presented throughout offer their own familiarity (and some other unique content).  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the whole, ensuring a positive general effect.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the album.  All things considered they make Killicon Valley a welcome new addition to this year’s field of new independent albums.
Killicon Valley is available now.  More information on the album is available along with all of Hellevate’s latest news at Facebook.