With 'Black/Thrash from israHELL' offered up as a introduction, Promiscuity does not pretend to be anything else than (surprise!) a black/thrash band from Israel! And that, dear reader, is refreshing indeed. The trio of Butcher, Werewolf and session drummer Dekapitator dropped a demo entitled 'Infernal Rock 'N' Roll' in 2011 that also delivers what it promises.
On the cover, one will notice that the 'audience' are rocking Hellhammer, Bathory etc gear, which will give you can idea about what the album is all about. That is, hard charging rhythms delivered decades after each band's heyday through the old school revivalist prism of recent years. Motorhead and Venom have some real staying power don't they? Oh, and you'll get a bit of 'Rock Around the Clock' thrown in for good measure.
There is little not to like here if the mere mention of Hellhammer and company make the listener instinctively thrash about like salmon on the run (I know I do, which is problematic in tight spaces). Promiscuity delivers in this regard, and does it in an admirable fashion. The formula is hard to mess up after all! The recent Darkthrone efforts are particularly successful to me, but sometimes run afoul of purists due to their hardcore/crust/rock elements. If you feel that way about black 'n' roll (or blackened whatever it is) then this three track demo will not change your mind.
The vocals are awesome (think Cronos from Venom with a little more gruffness mixed in), and the music is simple and effective. Crunchy riffs backed by an insistent rhythm section is pretty The lyrics (save for 'Gybenhinnom,' more on it later) are of the 'metal pride' variety which will hopefully make the listener proud. On the first two tracks said lyrics aren't exactly eloquent (and I don't think the word 'faggot' was necessary to attach to 'Crime and Punishment's' antagonist, the poser) but they get the job done.
The final track, 'Gybenhinnom' (which is another word for Gehenna) takes a couple stabs at the Holy Land itself, citing the cycle of death and pain brought upon by religious fanaticism that has gone on since antiquity. The sentiment is actually quite touching, especially in the lines:
'In Gybenhinnom - the children were burnt alive
In Gybenhinnom - they had no chance to survive
Killed by their own fathers, who ignored their pain, their desperate cries
Reduced to ashes - brought to this world to get sacrificed!'
The band is clearly reaching for something more lyrically and musically on this final track, as it is more subdued and melodic than the previous cuts. This viewpoint upon their homeland is interesting and perhaps the opposite of the their European counterparts, which often deify/personify their own landscapes and histories. It would be great to hear more about what the band thinks about their land and the history that has shaped it into the present. Groups like Al-Namrood from Saudi Arabia and Narjahanam from Bahrain have also proven themselves to be against the grain in a context where penalties might be very severe. And the scene in the Middle East continues to grow. If metal can act as a way of expression for dissidents in said countries then that makes the music all the more important. Keep it up gentleman!
Visit the band's website here
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