REVIEW: Every Hell - The People’s Republic of Hell

Please stand for your Republic’s national anthems. A roaring proclamation with a blazing hot sound, EVERY HELL return to pierce your ears and black hearts with new EP The People's Republic of Hell. While the Brighton/Bristol unit may be leading us joyfully into hell, it's been a heavenly month for the band, with new management, international touring teams, and fresh from their support slot for HAGGARD CAT.

What better way to celebrate their hattrick wins and hard graft than the announcement of their new EP, a line of release shows, and the unleashing of second rampaging single Bane Of The Bear, adding more firepower to an already scorching month? EVERY HELL, you spoil us so.

The People’s Republic of Hell wastes no time ripping immediately into frenzied Let Me Go (their first single and music video from the EP), Mark Roberts thumping out a rapid battle beat as guitarists Toby Stewart and Jules Maas-Palmer face off with intensive riffs and hooks while bassist Andrew Gosden keeps up a palpitating line that cuts through at times at shudderingly low notes. Stewart and Gosden’s vocals echo under frontman Will Gardner’s fluctuating chants, his voice shifting from soulful lilts to frantic shouts through the choruses before descending into guttural screams on the closing bars.

Catching Thunder keeps the rampant pace through the opening riffs and beats before Gardner’s voice breaks through at ethereally high notes, dropping into hoarse, bruising shouts of “now we’ll never get these words” over a haunting guitar melody, Roberts changing drum pace and Gosden’s electrifying bass riffs, Gardner building in momentum with a scream that reaches sky-high levels in intensity and fury.

Rushing in at a fever-pitch, Bane of the Bear’s opening disconcerting guitar riffs keep tempo with the quick-fire drums, slowing momentarily for the verses before ramping back up in speed and fire until the track launches into a menacing breakdown of drums and bass accompanying Gardner’s rasping screams of “stop. Stamp it out. Sick. Psychopath”, Stewart and Maas-Palmer joining the cacophony with dually wielded riffs.

On Slaughter hits out of nowhere with its gradual build of fuzzed distortion and static interweaving with dramatic, languid guitar before it all fades into a jarring burst of white noise. No words are spoken, no other instruments heard, yet it feels like the calm before the storm and prepares you for one final onslaught.

Closing track Ironclad brings back the unbridled speed and driving power of The People’s Republic of Hell, opening with a breakneck saxophone riff from Gardner as the other instruments keep up with the heated rhythm, the guitars lessening slightly to give space to the  emotionally charged lyrics while still maintaining a high-intensity power. Synths subtly sound in the verses before echoing more forcefully over harmonised backing vocals on the breakdown as Gardner easily shifts from coarse screams to clean sounds, prolonging a scream as the pace slows and the volume becomes more dense and unyielding.

Fusing an array of alt and metal genres in unexpected ways while delivering an abundance of striking hooks and rabid beats, EVERY HELL has just one law in its glorious republic - go fucking nuts.

Score: 7/10

The People's Republic of Hell will be released on 26th June.

Words: Julia Stark

Photos: Every Hell