Hell Promise

Hell Promise: Aim for HellAim for Hell (2006)
Rocketstar Recordings

Reviewer Rating: 0.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: AnchorsAnchors
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on July 25th 2006It's only possible to namedrop so many bands over the course of a single press sheet, but Hell Promise manage to try and relate themselves to some of the biggest names in rock from the last 40 years. It read like a who's who at a Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Jimi Hendrix? Check..

It's only possible to namedrop so many bands over the course of a single press sheet, but Hell Promise manage to try and relate themselves to some of the biggest names in rock from the last 40 years. It read like a who's who at a Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Jimi Hendrix? Check. AC/DC? Check Nirvana? Check.

Those are absurd comparisons or reference points for any band just starting to get their feet on the ground, let alone a goddamn metalcore band. I could be wrong, but I don't seem to remember any lyrics about blood and dying screamed between double-bass drumming on any Hendrix albums. Well, maybe taking some cues from one of the greatest guitarists of all time would have pointed them in a better direction than the coma-inducing 30 minutes offered by Aim for Hell.

Heard it all before. Heard it better before. Heard it way, way better. Singer Brian Johnson's punishing vocals don't sound so much inventive as they do like he's repeating the same line over and over, song after song. The raspy screams are indistinguishable from anything any other nameless metalcore band has done in the last 5 years, and he doesn't so much as change the speed or pitch of his delivery for enough time to let people think a new song is starting. Everything is robotically recycled song after song, tired line after tired line. Before I purge further, I'd just like to let everyone know that on this holy grail of a record here is a song called "Brass Knuckle Nightmare." Seriously.

Back off or confront your weakness, son of a bitch / I'll fight you too, you know you've stepped in deep shit / Another brass knuckle nightmare come true, it's true / Forged in hell, this fist will pummel you / You'll bleed like a little bitch in heat, bleed / Nobody will come to rescue you, it's true.

Honest to God, those are their lyrics. This band doesn't even deserve me reviewing any further.

Trash.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Anonymous (July 30, 2006)

I hope to god this trend dies out. Seriously.

Anonymous (July 26, 2006)

you know what all this reminds me of?

remember that point in the mid-to-late 90's, after gangsta rap died and labels like No Limit were huge, and shitty generic bling rappers and groups with that "money cash hoes" mentality were all the rage, and every week you had new shitty generic bling rappers with the absolute most gaudy-ass cookie cutter album covers with that fucking SHINY EFFECT on their names like it was all chromed out and whatnot?

this is like that era of rap, but for hardcore.

ILOVESCOTT (July 25, 2006)

brian, Long since forgotten certaintly aren't ground-breaking, but they aren't just mediocre either.

Anonymous (July 25, 2006)

Seriously, just look at it by name and its still ridiculous: Aim for Hell, by Hell Promise.

Inspection12e (July 25, 2006)

"Dudes with tribal tattoos and no friends probably love this album."

hahhaha so true.

Anonymous (July 25, 2006)

Dudes with tribal tattoos and no friends probably love this album.

sirens (July 25, 2006)

hahahahah that press sheet is genius

Anonymous (July 25, 2006)

Ouch, Rocketstar really took it in the butt on this one.

kirbypuckett (July 25, 2006)

Wow is that album art ugly!

- Kirby

DarrenMcLeod (July 25, 2006)

Brian - You really nailed the label. After I ordered the Gatsby DVD and received a free sampler, I predicted bit things from them, especially considering Ribbons And Sugar is one of my favorite albums. Once Gatsby left, though, it seems as if any spark left on the label did too.

sickboi (July 25, 2006)

So the singer's name is really Brian Johnson AND they namedrop AC/DC?

inagreendase (July 25, 2006)

Man, Rocketstar is just supposed to be this iffy but cute little new-school emo/pop-punk label that releases mostly mediocre stuff. but once in a while a solid or even fantastic album.

Seeing them jump on this ship is just kind of unsettling.

tylerdurden8136 (July 25, 2006)

That cover is horrible.

Not to judge a book by it's cover but goddamn, that has to say something.

Anonymous (July 25, 2006)

see the thing is, metalcore has become so mainstream and so watered down that it has reached the kids that like the basic modern rock staples like hendrix, nirvana, and ac/dc. I know tons of idiots who listen to radio rock and a handful of stupid metalcore bands. these kids obviously tried to jump on a sinking ship and started this lame band. it makes me wonder what the new trend that will get played-the-fuck-out will be?
munchbox.

Archangel (July 25, 2006)

I demand that Anchors receive some sort of award for review links.