2011’s Human Remains was the special kind of surprising kickassery that very few expected but many ended up relishing. After all, this Hell band was a fringe NWOBHM act that never recorded a proper album, resurrected years after their demise with a new vocalist (David Bower, brother of guitarist Kev) and Andy Sneap on guitars and production. Old material was rerecorded, and an absolute bounty of tongue-in-cheek, over-the-top, fun-as-all-living-hell heavy metal ensued. It was a pleasant surprise to those of us who had never even heard of the band (myself included), and a long awaited return for those who knew the 80s demos.
The album did not, however, really leave fans expecting a full time return or a ton of new material. Hell seem intent on quashing that fear, and fast. While Human Remains consisted of nearly or actually all material written in the 80s, Curse & Chapter is split about 50/50 between old and new. And for anyone hoping that this resurrected Hell has a future, these new tunes maintain the expected quality and fit in perfectly with the reworked tracks. The result is that same theatrical, heavy NWOBHM splashed with the likes of W.A.S.P. and Accept, the slightest touch of prog, and a general desire to incite devilish grins on every listener.
From the beginning, Hell’s success on Curse & Chapter is apparent. After an intro, “The Age of Nefarious” sets the bar for catchy guitar, soloing, and glorious cheese. (Mission: find me another metal tune with a nod to Hair.) The song also makes Hell’s most important trait very clear: they like things big. The riffs: constant and massive. The theatricality: overwhelming and gargantuan. The solos: harmonized and sassy. And the production: Sneapified. Similarly to Sneap’s studio treatment on recent Accept, he finds a way to modernize classically-minded metal without smothering it.
Likewise with the vocals. To anyone who ate up Human Remains, it goes without saying that David Bower tends to live large with his voice. For the uninitiated, the man brings that rare blend of charisma and pipes that could roughly be described as some crossing point of Dio, King Diamond (minus most of the falsetto), and Blackie Lawless. While no description quite catches his style, Bower has the same commanding presence as those greats. In fact, during the little interludes (of which there are fewer here than on Human Remains) and the more open verses, Bower resembles an impresario at a seedy theater in 19th Century England, an impression that lasts throughout. Really though, the guy is just a wild man.
Of course, the most important way for Curse & Chapter to go big is with the jams, and tunes both new and reworked deliver. “Darkhangel” shifts from a largely campy vibe to take on more darkness, executed by subtle mood changes in the music and vocals. Memorable choruses are everywhere, with two of the best coming in old tune “Land of the Living Dead” and new tune “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” Details and treats are tossed throughout, including stylistic teases and shifts, loading up on dual lead craziness (“Deathsquad”) and giving David Bower an opportunity to be a goddamn ham (“Deliver Us From Evil”).
Much like the previous album, Curse & Chapter probably goes on for 10 minutes longer than is really necessary, as an hour of material this similar tends to drag just a mite. That said, there aren’t any clear choices to cut, as every track is strong, and many are downright irresistible. And that about sums up what Hell is all about: don’t bother trying to resist, just give in to the wonderfully packaged cheese and eat up every last riff-infested morsel. Having just about spent their 80s material and moved seamlessly into new songs with this current, top notch lineup, Hell looks primed for a run that no one expected. Fingers crossed.
