Helvete Inc. – 9 3 21

Helvete Inc.’s “The New Flesh” is a fresh slab of industrial that I was introduced to last year. ‘Tis an acidic blend of industrial mechanics, heavy drum pads, gritty guitar riffs, and equally glamorous vocals ranging from gothic depths to the striking strained chords of industrial mayhem. To say the very least, I fell in love with the release after listening to it for a few weeks and have it permanently embedded into my playlist. A year has passed since the album launched and Helvete Inc. felt it only appropriate to give all their fans a little treat. That delicious morsel comes in the form of “9 3 21”, a two track release that launched during September’s Bandcamp Friday. 

I feel as if ‘Ov The Flesh’ finds S.T.R. Helvete full embracing unique vocals of which I have heard tidbits of in the past, but not so much in this fashion; they’re extremely soulful, confident, and energetic in their performance, It contains a portion of the strained, acid-drinking sound so many other industrial singers use, but there’s not many digital effects placed on their vocals which makes it seem much more natural and fluent in comparison to robotic and processed. As far as the instrumentals go, expect the usual heavy use of kick drums, perfected electronic sample placement, and synthetic moments that will have you crawling back for more. 

‘The Reckoning God’ slams right into industrial metal territory; a single piano key leads me into heavy and dense riffs with striking backing synths that match the tension. Helvete Inc. turns down the violence when their voice hits in, sounding tortured. I also noticed that the production sounds better than from what I heard on “The New Flesh”. Everything seems much more crisp and clear; I’m not sure if Helvete Inc. is doing anything different with their new material, but whatever’s going on, keep it up. 

“9 3 21” is a wonderful addition to Helvete Inc.’s discography and gains a well-deserved eight out of ten. While it may not be that long and fans might wish for more, I’d rather be patient for a glorious album than have one rushed out and be disappointed with it. Till then, “9 3 21” will satiate my appetite.