'Hell Can't Handle All Of Us' is the debut album from Black Emerald. Hailing from Reading, this three piece act have spent over ten years refining their sound ahead of this release and the patience has definitely paid off. The album is a well crafted collection of 11 tracks that take on elements and influences from across the rock and metal sub genres.
Opening with the title track Hell Can't Handle All Of Us, which sets the tone for the rest of the album with strong riffs and aggressive vocals, another early standout is B.O.D. This track in particular allows all three members a chance to sign, with a bass line opening, heavy riffs and a varied vocal performance from frontman Simon Hall.
The penultimate track on the album is the nine and a half minute Jonestown, which shows the band can produce epics as well as the hard and fast rockers. For me this certainly one of the highlights amongst an already strong collection of songs and I hope it is an area that the band will continue to explore in the future. Closing the album is the short instrumental Revelations, which is distinctly different to the other ten tracks present but again only demonstrates the bands willingness to experiment.
Overall Hell Can't Handle All Of Us is a very solid debut release and should give Black Emerald plenty of scope to develop their sound going forward. Containing elements of hard rock, stoner metal, thrash and progressive rock amongst others, this is an album that all fans of metal should be able to engage with. I would recommend this album to Metal and Rock fans and I look forward to seeing what else they produce in the future.
7/10 - review by Steph