So, unless you've been out of touch in the metal world for the last 15 years — or you just hate fun and are really uptight — you know who Midnight is. And you also know what they're about. After all, the band put it perfectly on the opening track of their 2020 album, Rebirth by Blasphemy: "Fucking speed and darkness!!!" And that's what they continue to deliver on Hellish Expectations.
How you feel about the album depends largely on how you feel about the band. After a series of early demos, splits and EPs, the band established itself as a fiery metal force on 2011's Satanic Royalty. The many releases since then have largely been variations on the same theme. Sure, there have been standout moment over the years like "Evil Like a Knife," "Crushed by Demons," and, my own personal favorite, "Warning from the Reaper." But these are not aberrations, rather examples of Midnight doing what they do best.
And what is that? It's their own hook-laden blend of Motörhead, Venom, speed metal, street punk, and that tinge of black metal to give it that extra taste of evil. I hope you like barked vocals, catchy riffs, and d-beat drums, cause you're gonna get a lot of that from these guys.
The album kicks off with the ripping and tearing glory of "Expect Total Hell." It's heavy as hell, fun as hell, and catchy as hell. It's definitely a Midnight track like those of old, but it shows a conspicuous resemblance to Kill em' All-era Metallica (think "Metal Militia"). And this makes sense, as the band shared many of the same influences as Midnight in their early days.
The band's many highlights include the tremolo-picking madness of "Masked And Deadly," the fist-pumping party of "Slave Of The Blade," and the anthemic "Deliver Us to the Devil." But I was most impressed with the pure, pulsating terror of "Mercyless Slaughtor." Due to the change in tempo, the track naturally stands out and allows the listener to lock on to something interesting and groovy for a bit. This is the song where the circle pit breaks out.
And, of course, the band's answer to Darkthrone's "FOAD" has it's own particular charm: "FOAL." (That stands for "Fuck off and live," for the sweet summer children in the back). It's simply the quintessential Midnight track to end a stubbornly characteristic Midnight album. Some songs don't stand out as much and wouldn't really belong on an "essentials" mix or anything. But that's not the point. The point is the steel marches on, and you can't stop it.
