By Steven Pepin
Chances are you are not the kind of person who, at somepoint in your life, has clamored for a heavy metal rendition of the History Channel. Apparently though, some people are, and Hail of Bullets was happy to provide. Their debut, “…Of Frost and War,” set the scene with a decidedly poetic retelling of the second World War, specifically the struggles between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. This time, with “On Divine Winds,” they’ve flipped the pages of their textbooks to the Eastern stage of history, chronicling the Pacific front of World War II as well as the Second Sino-Japanese War.
In so doing, “On Divine Winds” has established a window through which to view our dark past, whether advertently or not. The subject matter is horrifying, particularly when the events described leave behind both such lasting impact and living participants. There is something almost gratifying to hear such moments in time reflected through music in such a mature way, albeit filtered through a music genre that didn’t even exist in the 1940s. Conceptually, it’s a monument to tragedy through combat, exhibited through the lyrical remembrance of such terrible conflicts as the Pearl Harbor attack (on the track “Operation Z”), Operation Watchtower (“Guadalcanal”) and the Mukden Incident (err…”The Mukden Incident”).
Of course, the band’s passion for history is only half of the equation. The rest is composed of their distinctive sound: a carefully constructed hybrid of old-school death metal sentiments and a more modern, rhythm-based groove. It just so happens, however, that every aspect of this blend – the rapid-fire machine gun riffs, the crushing chord bombing runs, the mournful solos – is perfectly analogous for war. Every single song has the riveting power of a cannon, but is strategically-paced and melodically composed to let each crushingly heavy note sink in. This, in turn, is overlaid by Martin van Drunen’s guttural, raspy vocals, describing intense wartime acts in riveting detail. In short, this is not a purely solemn recollection, but a visceral one, one that never lets its audience forget the sheer brutality of war.
None of this is to suggest that “On Divine Winds” is a flawless masterpiece. The overall tone of the album starts to wear on the listener after awhile, considering there are few breather moments nor attempts to spice up the formula. In addition the vocals, though exuding a raw power much needed to convey the subject matter, lack variety and range, and thus can become rather grating after awhile. Perhaps most notably, due to the nature of the band’s influences, nothing you can find here is anything you haven’t heard before if you happen to be a metal buff, WWII motif aside. Still, it’s a remarkably solid and well-rounded effort, brimming with passion and rife with pure sonic relentlessness. And really, how often do you find a good history lesson and prime head-banging material in the same place?