I've had this record on repeat since it came out - I thought Hellshock's stupendous 2022 self-titled LP (which had them sounding more and more like Bolt Thrower) was going to be their opus and maybe even last record - but this takes where that left off and dials it up to 12: While there are only six songs, they are longer and better written - more atmospheric, more tempo shifts, darker. And the band overall has marked some significant progression in its sound since 2000 (thus, the album title).
This record continues to shed a few Hellshock themes from the past: there's no acoustic interlude; there's no song titled after a previous record. The addition of Todd Burdette of Tragedy continues to influence, evolve, but not overpower, the overall sound of the band on this album. A welcome addition; this band is now officially a super duper group - each band member being 30+ years into their punk careers and playing with dozens of bands at thousands of gigs finds them at the top of their game.... The dual guitar attack, rumbling bass and tight drumming are all in sync here.
The record starts off strong with "Breathe", starting slowly - almost at a trudging pace - while it builds and builds into a headbanger - you can feel your pulse quicken as the song goes through its paces, until the thrashing solo has your shaking your first at full bore. After that we get Automation - starting right in at a mid tempo beat that takes it through to a melodic outro, with Joel's fierce vocals barking over the riffs throughout. The next song that out for being a bit different on Side A is Dead Hands - it's a straight up dirge, but I like the moody atmosphere it sets. Production-wise, I wish they had merged the last two songs a bit more on Side A - they sound like companion pieces.
Side B starts out with a fairly straight-forward "The Hero Returns" - not unlike the start of the album, a song that starts with a dramatic buildup until it gets faster and faster. Squeezed in after that is another mid-tempo atmospheric doom-y number in "Oblivion", and the entire 25 minute affair closes out with another epic piece, "Complete Outsider", my favorite track: diving in with a military-esque drum beat that leads to a quite memorable riff while the vocals growl in - with at least two guitar solos throughout. Great end to a great record.
I know there are some die hards out there who have dismissed Hellshock after their first LP - for going too metal, or for going too Burning Spirits (on "They Wait for You Still") - and probably even more so in the intervening decade since, as they are more death metal than crust at this point. Those people are certainly allowed to have their feelings about Hellshock and miss their stenchcore days of yore, but I'm all in on the death-metal infused crust of 2025 Hellshock.
This copy is on red and black vinyl, with a special record release cover because I made sure to go see them at their record release show.