SIJJIN REVIEW

SIJJIN - HELLJJIN COMBAT

Formed out of the ashes of German doomy death act Necros Christos, Sijjin base the majority of their themes around ancient Middle Eastern lore and legends and handle their narrative with a much thrashier angle. After 2021's "Sumerian Promises" gathered much praise from the underground "Helljin Combat" is poised to take it by storm and takes us all straight down to Jahannam with it.

With a bit of groove and thunderous bass "Fear Not The Tormentor" is over eight minutes of devilish delight keeping the requisite speed intact throughout. Second in line is "Dakhma Curse" with elements that seem to give nods to Powerslave and Rust In Peace which are as good of albums as as to subtly give tribute to generations later. Riffing in an almost Middle Eastern style to unfold its plot, "Religious Insanity Denies Slavery" midpaces its way through such pearls of wisdom as "Fuck your religion! Go fuck your god!" as we get riffs upon riffs to remind us that the enslavers shall be repelled back to the land from whence they came. "Five Blades" is an opium den of decadence with galloping bass and thumping drum fills working with the lead string to give a pseudo-arpeggio effect before we close this kitab off with the roaring symphony of "The Southern Temple" and its glorious praises to Pazuzu raging with tempo changes and angular attacks of highs and lows to cultivate the porfoundest path of unpredictability.

Hotly anticipated and now savagely attacking the masses with spear and scimitar, "Helljin Combat" exhibits speed and ferocity while telling tales of desert battles and fortress storming with total lust for violence in The Cradle of Civilization. These stories manifest in the finest form of thrashing death to the bleakest symphonies of descending dusk and dancing djinns. With a little Satan thrown in here and there for good measure, of course.

8/10