SIJJIN – Helljjin Combat

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Four years ago, the German-Basque trio Sijjin delivered a savage onslaught on the debut full-length 'Sumerian Promises' and they are now to fulfill a hellish war anthem to fans of extreme metal with the second one “Helljjin Combat” which is a more thrash metal-inspired album compared to the previous work. Featuring the former members of the German death-doom band Necros Christos, Sijjin’s musical evolution is witnessed as an extreme sonic testimony that is non-typical to the modern thrash or death metal style.

The trio executes its technical bruteness in the style of 80s thrash metal. However, the instrumentation on the eight tracks offers organic musicianship that pushes the band to new heights, and the riff shines throughout the opening track ‘Fear Not the Tormentor’. The melding of two musical styles of antediluvian death metal and thrash focuses on organic song structure. The songwriting composition highlights the extremity and a musical vision that give a spectacular variety from grooves to thrashing riffs, providing enough depth to the songs.

The riffs resonate like a whipping wind that goes hand in glove with the frenzy and some furious percussion barrages. The riffing spectrum, ranging from consistent rhythm, capturing the old school formulation in the following song ‘Dakhma Curse’ is a straight, glorious feast of tight riffs, with the song mostly poised to mid-tempo. Drummer Iván Hernández showcases his talent in laying the foundation of the composition.

The riffs set ablaze with a rampant display of instruments. Every song feels catchy and memorable. The band combines utter rawness without emphasizing speed. Musically, every song contains enough riffs, plenty of fast tempos, and chaotic solos. Vocalist and bassist Malte Gericke‘s growling is fierce and evil, and the slow twists remind me of bands like Infernäl Mäjesty, Nasty Savage, and Possessed.

Trance of the Mummified’ takes a different approach. After the slow buildup in the previous songs, Sijjin provides rawness and brutality to this song, creating a sound all their own, driven by fast and slow churning riffs and deep growls. Ekaitz Garmendia handles all the guitar work on the album and contributes to the songwriting.

Death Opens the Grave’ is one catchy song: the punishing guitar tone immediately sets a captivating tone with the riff work adding to the slower tempos alongside blast beats and a mid-tempo carnage that holds the charm. The atmospheric sensibility is another aspect of the album, which creates dark passages that show the true inspiration of these gentlemen.

The second opus showcases raw intensity and goes beyond the death metal roots. It also displays the musical presentation in its sheer savagery that cannot be mimicked. ‘Religious Insanity Denies Slavery’ is another example of the song’s atmosphere being perfectly illustrated by the guitar work of Ekaitz Garmendia, who contributes to the songwriting. From the solid drumming, audible bass and relentless organic guitar, the music roars with chaos. The impressive instrumental passages bring memorable moments.

The tempos are filled with dark, potent riffs and drums are simply firing on all cylinders on ‘Horrific Distortions’ which is relentlessly driven with tempest riffs, roaring deep growls, shifting drums and moving through ferocious solos in every direction. The one thing that the band has dismissed is the mystical atmosphere and melodies: having spared such elements, the album sometimes suffers from being monotonous.

Despite the minor misstep, the album is very well written and maintains an organic flow through the run time of forty-eight minutes. Sijjin has upped its thrashing exercise on the second album. With tracks like ‘Five Blades’ offering robust technicality, speed and swift tempo shifts, the song unfolds in a flurry of demonic incantations and the profound influences of the band remain as strong as the trio incorporates a pounding, percussive technique and slow catchy riffs.

 

The final track ‘The Southern Temple’ is one of the album’s highlights in providing technicality and dynamic tempo changes. The vocals are sinister and dark, integrating ultra-aspects of brutal thrash and death metal with some face-melting solos and slow tempo into one morbidly evil atmosphere.

 

REVIEW SCORE

  • Music / Songwriting 8/10
  • Vocals / Lyrics 9/10
  • Mix / Production 10/10
  • Artwork & Packaging 8/10
  • Originality 8/10
8.6

Sijjin wraps a vicious and aggressive work that truly brings the twisted fragments of  the 80s extreme metal style that started before death metal and they have successfully nailed their sound on the second full-length album.

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