Artist: THEM
Album: RETURN TO HEMMERSMOOR BLACK/ BLUE VINYL (2LP)

Year: 30.10.2020
EAN/UPS: 886922428210
Media type: LP

- 3rd  studio album by one of USA/Germany`s best Heavy Metal bands. Mixed by Dave Otero (Khemmis, Act Of Defiance). Backing vocals by Paul Sabu. Artwork by Mario Lopez (Evil Invaders, Toxik). Incl. the singles “Free” and “Battle Blood”.

Thrash metal meets horror/fantasy story, part III: their latest album Return To Hemmersmoor sees German-American act Them present the third part of a trilogy that was launched back in 2016 on Sweet Hollow and continued in 2018 with Manor Of The Se7en Gables. Return To Hemmersmoor takes up where the thematic thread of its two predecessors left off and brings the story to a gripping finale, documenting at the same time the band’s unmistakable musical evolvement. “Possibly the new material is a little tougher and more uncompromising,” guitarist Markus Ullrich compares the three recordings. “Being directly involved, we’re too close to really be able to judge. Fact is: the album definitely sounds more mature, which certainly has to do with the songwriting as well as with our general approach. From the start, Them have worked in a very focussed manner according to a definite plan. For that kind of targeted strategy you really need the right line-up consisting of accomplished musicians that are one hundred per cent behind the concept. Them totally fulfils all those conditions.”

Ullrich is referring to his colleagues, vocalist KK Fossor, guitarist Markus Johansson (Sylencer, 4ARM), drummer Angel Cotte (Demolition Hammer), bassist Alexander Palma, and keyboardist Richie Seibel (Lanfear, Ivanhoe). Although the band members live on two continents (Fossor, Johansson and Cotte in the US, Ullrich, Palma and Seibel in Germany), Them play and work together as a tight unit. When guitarists Ullrich and Johannson collaborate on compositions, frontman Fossor translates their inspirations into skilfully worded melodies and lyrics, the rhythm section puts the pedal to the metal and expansive keyboard sounds lend the songs their special atmosphere, Them are at their preferred operating temperature, which frequently culminates in breathtaking results such as Return To Hemmersmoor. Them’s stylistic range includes hard-as-nails thrash metal songs like ‘Age Of Ascension’, ‘Hellhounds: The Harbingers Of Death’ and ‘Battle Blood’ with its references to the best of Bay Area traditions; numbers such as ‘Free’ and  ‘Field Of Immortality’, which are set to become Them classics; and unusual tracks like the anthemnic ‘Waken’ or the final epic ‘Maestro’s Last Stand’, which brings the trilogy full circle with its intelligent Sweet Hollow references.


2 LP Gatefold Version:

Side 1
01. Diluvium 3:02
02. Age of Ascension 3:25
03. The Tumultuous Voyage to Hemmersmoor 3:47
04. Free 5:01

Side 2
01. Field of Immortality 5:53
02. The Thin Veil 6:36
03. Waken 5:43

Side 3
01. Memento Mori 1:31
02. Hellhounds: The Harbingers of Death 3:20
03. Battle Blood 3:56
04. Maestro’s Last Stand: 5:40
05. Finis 0:45

Side 4
etched

LINE-UP:

KK Fossor – vocals
Markus Johansson – guitars
Markus Ullrich – guitars
Angel Cotte – drums
Richie Seibel – keyboards
Alexander Palma - bass