Band: Hellsaw
CD Title: Phantasm
Year: 2007
Website: www.hellsaw.com
MySpace: myspace.com/hellsawmusic
Label: Folter Records
Featured on: Currently a Loucifer Speaks exclusive!
Rating: 10 / 10
More Links: Please feel free to start a Hellsaw thread on the Loucifer Speaks forum

I feel I should start off by saying that "Phantasm" is one of my favourite releases of this year. In fact, I’m going to give it the full 10/10. I simply cannot find a fault with it.

It opens with the strangely catchy "Silent Landscapes". This track has a melody that'll be haunting your dreams (or nightmares?) for many months to come. I especially like the way that the track seems to finish, only to pick up again from 4 minutes 30 seconds for the final 30 seconds of the song.
"The Ember of Your Own" continues with the dark yet catchy theme and even incorporates a fantastic acoustic bit at the 1 minute 30 seconds mark. This track is fantastic to headbang to – it contains just the right amount of tempo changes to keep it interesting, but not so many that it seems over the top.
The title track is mesmerising and is a superb example of how this kind of Black Metal should be played. The vocals really seem to stand out on this track as well.
"So Far..." is an instrumental that starts off with a beautifully calming intro. Then, at around 2 minutes 30 seconds, it launches into an almost victorious sounding melody. This may sound strange, but I find it near impossible not to get goose-bumps when this part blasts into my eardrums. It’s simply amazing.
Then we are launched into "The Inner Revenge of Nature". This track is my favourite from the album. This may be because it was one of the first tracks I heard on the band’s MySpace, or it may be because all of it’s combined elements work so well together.
"Omen" kicks off with what sounds like a bit of accoustic/classical guitar, before quickly being joined with the other instruments. This track is fantastic and I cannot wait to witness it being played live.
"In Memory" really stands out from the other tracks since it seems to contain a bleaker atmosphere. I'm not saying that the other tracks are not bleak – just that "In Memory" is more so and is relatively down tempo and this adds to the atmosphere.
"Frozen March" brings the tempo back up and rather than continuing with the feeling of loss which "In Memory" creates, "Frozen March" gives us a stronger, angrier and more powerful atmosphere. With that said, like the other tracks on this album, there are a number of tempo changes within this track.
"Outro" is a beautiful keyboard/piano track and it provides the perfect ending to the album.

I shall end this review in more or less the same way as I started it. Hellsaw have created one of my favourite albums of this year. It seems that they have poured 100% of themselves into this piece and this is shown clearly in the final result. This album is definitely worth adding to your collection.