I was wondering why I didn't have this release by Hail of Bullets, but this is actually their 2007 demo that had been released only on CD-R and distributed by the band, so that explains it. It is now seeing proper release on CD, vinyl, tape and digital by Agonia Records.
No surprises here if you've heard this band before. Crushing, punishing war-themed death metal is what the band is all about, and you get a nice little serving of their craft here. It's mostly slow to mid-paced with some faster passages, but the slower parts are really what did it for me. Not only does it make you feel crushed, but there's a dark atmosphere that will give you the chills. The music is raw as hell; that guitar sound just rattles the eardrums and makes you grind your teeth. Unsurprisingly, no shortage of sheer heaviness here, especially the more militaristic-sounding parts that sound like a marching army. The raucous vocals add more to the overall raw and grinding effect. There's nothing pretty here and, well, that makes sense considering the band's lyrical theme. Powerful stuff.
