| Musical Style: Varies | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Roxx Records | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2022 | Artist Website: |
| Tracks: 15 | Rating: No Quote |
| Running Time: 69:03 |
Like a compilation album but uniquely drawing upon a conceptual basis, the September of 2022 Roxx Records release All Hallow’s Eve: We Love Hating Evil amasses 14 songs that each directly or indirectly tie-into the theme of Halloween. Several years in the making and its namesake based upon the song titles from two well-known (and represented) bands - Bride and Vengeance Rising - separates as a once in a lifetime collection of Halloween music made up of classic songs from the past and three unreleased tracks. In terms of specifics, All Hallow’s Eve… encompasses material dating back to the eighties and nineties but also includes that from turn of the century and up to current times in featuring music diverse as melodic metal and hard rock, thrash and speed metal, progressive metal and horror/shock rock. Opening the album and helping tie it together is a message from Pastor Bob Beeman appropriately entitled “Halloween Message”.
As opposed to one of my standard track by track breakdowns, I thought it would work best to instead break the album down chronologically starting with its older material. Eighties begins with the two namesake songs in question, including Bride’s “All Hallow’s Eve”, an at times thrash laden and others doom tinged to Gothic laced but always catchy beauty from Silence Is Madness (1989), and “I Love Hating Evil”, a blues tinged thrash monster off Vengeance Rising debut Human Sacrifice (1988). Former ranks with my favorite eighties era Bride cuts, while latter might not be my cup of tea (the driving vocals do it for me) it is otherwise essential all the same.
Rounding out the eighties is Bloodgood and its deeply woven backing vocal driven traditional metal magnum opus “Killing The Beast” (originally appearing on the groups 1986 self-titled debut) and Stryken with “Crush The Head Of Satan” to tread similar musical territory but in a more metal anthem format (taken off its 1987 debut First Strike). Bloodgood is one of the more iconic groups of its era with Bloodgood representing as fine a debut you will hear, and whereas Stryken might not be quite as well respected as a ‘one and done’ band, it could be said that “Crush The Head Of Satan” ranks among its finer tracks.
Lone misgiving regarding the eighties is that the compilations does not seem complete without Sacred Warrior’s “Stay Away From Evil”, a certain cannot miss candidate…
Moving on to the nineties, Holy Soldier delivers the melodic metal and hard rock goods from its 1992 sophomore album Last Train with “Hallow’s Eve”, a reserved if not laid back number that might not be quite heavy as some here but does a choice job pinpointing Steven Patrick’s raspy voice and melody in abundance. Deliverance’s melodic speed metal magnum opus “Slay The Wicked” (from 1990 release Weapons Of Our Warfare) could not contrast more with its rambunctious tempo to exude accelerated guitars, slugfest drumming and Jimmy P. Brown’s distinctive expansive vocals.
Tying the older material with that current is Sovereign Cross and its previously unreleased rendering of Stryper’s “To Hell With The Devil” to include Dale Thompson (Bride) on lead vocals. Song maintains its signature catchy guitar rhythms and darker (not to mention quite catchy) melody but separates with Thompson’s gritty rasp as opposed to that classic tenor of Michael Sweet.
Also unreleased is Afterwinter’s amazing seven and half minute progressive metal time signature driven “Within” home to musical styles diverse as symphonic, thrash and power metal while featuring both middle register male and soprano female vocals. If this is any indicator of the group’s upcoming Roxx Records debut album Paramnesia it should be outstanding.
Final unreleased track “Lazarus” from Ritual Servant is one of albums heaviest with its Metallica style thrash metal inclusive to a vocalist a near dead ringer for James Hetfield and driving mid-paced low-end focus. Similar to Vengeance Rising, not my cup of tea but it is also equally essential in light of the subject at hand.
Of the five remaining cuts, my favorite is the melodic hard rocking title track from The Brave’s most Gravedigger to establish a complementary somber resonance to stand alongside AOR infused backing vocals for its refrain. I also take to Weapons Of God cut “Ghost” (taken from the groups 2019 self-titled debut) to entice its eight and half minute span with a solemn traditional metal flair.
Motivik’s 2020 release Death Of The Gunman is home to a cut in which I am on the fence in “Pale Rider”. On one hand, it evokes images of straight on thrash metal in also ranking with albums heaviest; on the other, I appreciate the varied vocals to range from lower register and gritty to periodic high-end falsettos (I am reminded of original Antithesis vocalist Ty Cook).
Failing to register with me is a pair of punk influenced numbers from Grave Robber and The Migraines in “The Night Evelyn Came Out From The Grave” and “I Hate Evil”, respectively. Former takes a horror/shock rock approach with catchy rhythms and plenty of ‘whoah-oh-oh’ backing vocals, while latter is heavier with a touch of seventies hard rock and guest timekeeping from Robert Sweet (Stryper).
All Hallow’s Eve” We Love Hating Evil is not the only time Roxx Records has gone the conceptual compilation album route, accrediting 2016 release A Celebration Of The Death & Resurrection, which as its namesake implies compiles songs focusing on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Both albums are effective in doing the same thing: compiling songs based upon a similar topic but with a widely varying musical pattern. Therein also lies the rub, in that similar to The Death & Resurrection, I struggle to identify with all the material on All Hallow’s Eve, keeping in mind each song is worthy of inclusion regardless of my personal tastes. I wish more labels took a similar outside the box approach, and prioritize releasing conceptual themed compilation albums.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Halloween Message” (1:47), “I Love Hating Evil” (3:58), “Gravedigger” (4:56), “To Hell With The Devil” (4:08), “All Hallow’s Eve” (5:13), “Crush The Head Of Satan” (3:11), “The Night Evelyn Came Out From The Grave” (3:35), “Killing The Beast” (4:43), “Slay The Wicked” (4:16), “Hallow’s Eve” (4:46), “Lazarus” (3:56), “Pale Rider”, “Ghost” (8:35), “Within” (7:34), “I Hate Evil” (4:20)
