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AWAKEN THE NIGHT
Total Kommando

Metal Coffin (2025)
Rating: 7/10

The artwork for this album is surely a contender for the cheesiest of the year, but don’t judge a record by its cover. Total Kommando may look like some lame mid-80s throwback but musically it’s quite the assault. Like some fiery hot pot of Kreator, Midnight, Toxic Holocaust et al, Total Kommando is a hellish speed metal attack from a bunch of crazed Italians who came together in 2022.

This is Awaken The Night’s debut full-length outing and one which leaves its mark due to its vicious nature as ‘Emerald Fog’ hits like some subterranean South American demon chewing at your throat. The vocals have that raw satanic style, choking on their own lung rust to the volatile soundtracks of scuttling percussion and rabid axe work.

This is blackened thrash born from the Speed Kills era metal compilation albums as Possessed, Slayer, Bathory, Venom etc. join the fray for an orgy in virgin blood. ‘Attila’ is rapid, scorching the ears with its billowing plumes of filth. All of this must surely be fuelled by warm beer and snorted soot, especially the reckless fury of ‘Terrorchain’ and the dismal chimes of ‘At The Stake’, even if the opening chords remind of Skid Row’s ‘18 And Life’!

Awaken The Night obviously spend too much time in the darkness of their bedrooms, but the end result is one that charms even with the formulaic strikes of ‘Speed Metal Attack’ and the title cut. There’s also something slightly unorthodox about the album too which has kept me captivated through several listens.

I really enjoyed the straight up mosh of ‘Little Pier The Mechanix’ and the catchy closer and namesake song ‘Awaken The Night’, but both also provide a different angle to the smouldering steel framework constructed by vocalist Earthquake, guitarist RRomanazzi, bassist Haborym and drummer Creator. Italian heavy metal continues to char the skin and blacken the bones.

Neil Arnold

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