Black Marketeers of World War III

Raw, thrashy Black Metal is what you will find on Black Marketeers of World War III, the debut full-length from U.S. band Wolvhammer. Right off the bat, I have to admit the album title captured my attention. It evokes a disturbing image quite effectively. The band seems to put some thought into their song titles as well with clever turns of phrase like "Call to Assimilate" and "A Cancer of Purity." As for the quality of the lyrics, your guess is a good as mine, as vocalist/bassist M.L.'s screechy rasp is nearly indecipherable.

Musically, Wolvhammer tend to keep things at a slower tempo, with a focus on riffs, vs. frenetic blast beats and guitar strumming. There aren't any real standout tracks as the songs are all similar to one another, but they are well played and the performances are above average. Black Marketeers of World War III isn't breaking any new ground, but shows a band with promise.