Roman Catholic solo metal project Hell’s Enemy is a force to be reckoned with. Having only formed in 2024, Frederick Blauer’s solo metal project has released over 40 songs in a myriad of full lengths, EPs, and singles that span a broad yet connected sonic palette that spans death metal, black metal, and dark ambient, blurring the lines along the way. Such furious speed of production is matched by the improvement of the writing, playing, and production with each subsequent album, showing the incremental development of a master musician.
“Memento Mori” was initially released as a three-song EP back in September, at which point I passed on diving deeper, waiting for something longer to come along. Well, apparently it grew in two months to 7 total songs with running at 20 minutes. When fellow reviewer John Jackson mentioned Hell’s Enemy had a new release, I gave an initial listen while working on laundry and was impressed. Memento Mori is a Latin phrase meaning “remember that you must die.” In olden days, people would have human skulls as a reminder to live life with a full understanding that we should be ready to die. This is the lyrical setting, but with a wide range of genres, what can we expect from Hell’s Enemy on “Memento Mori?”
Ferocious, aggressive old-school death metal. This primordial version of death metal is very satisfying to me with its technical riffing and blazing speeds and high energy and Frederick makes it feel new again. The execution is pinpoint perfect on scrumptious thrash riffs that is a treat to the mind with excellently clear production that almost has a shine to it. There are some black metal episodes with furious blastbeats and blackened shrieks to contrast the deeper guttural beatdown of death metal. This is excellent workout music…if I worked out.
The album is top to bottom a riffing tour de force with the emphasis on the brutal beatdown of the listener. With a runtime just over 20 minutes, this is the right length before fatigue sets in from lack of air. Apart from the slightly slower, yet hefty “Memento Mori” and the instrumental “Diabolic Evisceration,” the songs have an early 1980s thrash metal feel, which is interested in the myriad ways that one can construct mind bending riffs that impress, inspire, and embolden. Although the guitar is forefront, I particularly like the windows of bass work and the drum work balancing technical and pace setting, mixed optimally for bludgeoning.
Frederick’s vocals have an early death metal feel that is an extension to thrash, but more unhinged. There is conviction in his delivery that complement the instrumental work well adding to that beatdown approach to old-school death metal. The lyrics have a clear Catholic character to them, but is not evangelically so, but rather a defiant voice against the ubiquitous cult of the enemy in the world, something all Christians can appreciate. There is much focus on death being the end for us all and that brutal judgment awaits for those that have sided with the devil.
What is presented here is an excellent fusion of technical musical prowess refined with a Christian imagination to create music fitting for a dark subject, yet is empowering to the faithful. That said, there is something missing, something of either the melodic or of the dynamic. No guitar solos or lead guitar licks (except a droning tenor in “Reparation For Blasphemy”) make the unending riffing wear quicker for a concentrated listening as well as the lack of spaces for the music to breathe. Kudos to where Frederick is with Hell’s Enemy, yet there is more to develop before this project is in the upper echelons of the extreme metal world.
I appreciate my fellow reviewer John Jackson for calling this one out for me to review. When he mentioned that it was Florida death metal, it was just what I needed in the near endless TSO over here during the Advent/Christmas season. What Frederick has pulled together shows the ever sharpening blade of his craft as this is my favorite Hell’s Enemy release to date. That said, there are some places that could be armored up more to make this mission extend its reach. If you love riffs and the early old-school death metal a la Living Sacrifice, this is mandatory listening!
Rating: 8.5/10
Written by Sean Bailey
Tracklist
1 – False God
2 – Triune Architect
3 – Memento Mori
4 – Diabolic Evisceration
5 – Reign In Hell
6 – Star-Spangled Harlot
7 – Reparation For Blasphemy
Hell’s Enemy is:
Frederick Blauer – all instruments, vocals
Release Date: November 8, 2025
Record Label: Wyrmslayer Records
Discography:
Hymns of Eternal Victory (2024) [review]
No Dawn For Demon Kind (2024) [review]
West of Eden (2025) [review]
Against the Dragon (2025)
A Pale Light In The Gloom (2025)
Memento Mori (2025)
Social Media: Website | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Bandcamp
Video (audio) for Memento Mori