Horfixion - Self-Inflicted Hell
Galy Records
Thrash
9 songs (36:23)
Release year: 2004
Horfixion, Galy Records
Reviewed by Jason

Coming from my home province of Quebec, Horfixion are what might be best described as a straight-up thrash quartet with a sound similar to the more popular veterans of the genre such as Razor, Kreator and The Crown. Making their debut in 1999, the band has been steadily releasing albums, making Self-Inflicted Hell their fifth effort since.

Horfixion’s music is an aggressive injection of thrash complete with gruff vocals led by Samuel Landry, speedy riffs, and fiery drum work courtesy of Patrice Hamelin. While Self-Inflicted Hell may give you the impulse to let loose and let that head of yours thrash to and fro’ during the first few tracks, as the album progresses, you’ll likely get fed up of the repetitive sound and relentless instrumental onslaught. To call Self-Inflicted hell a bad album would be inherently wrong, since it possesses a few of musical aspects that make a thrash album kill (i.e. solid riffs, tight and drum-work), but the lackluster vocals, repetitive pace and “cheap” soloing definitely knocks down the quality of this album.

Self-Inflicted Hell starts off strong with Immaculate Destruction which launches itself at your ears in the form of speedy riffs and technical drumming. The first few seconds of this tune will undoubtedly grab anyone’s attention with its stellar drum and riff demonstration, but I assure that this attention will begin to slip as each track begins to shows its true form: little variation, weak vocals and equally weak solo work. The solos on this disc are more of a tease than anything else. The best example of solos that tease would be on the tracks such as Insane Poetry and Godless Faith, where the guitarists entice the listener by beginning some fancy finger-work but abruptly end and go back to playing rhythm, leaving the listener with a musical version of “blue balls” (teased, unsatisfied and wanting more).

Despite the somewhat repetitive tone of the album, the instrumental work and production are top-notch. Hails go to the members for being able to play so solidly, and even more hails go to Patrice Hamelin for providing the band with fantastic drumming. The same really can’t be said for Landry’s gruff vocals which sound like a cross of Razor and Kreator - barking at the listener’s ears relentlessly with little variation and eventually becoming quite tiresome. This is especially true for the title track Self-Inflicted hell since Landry seems to endlessly bark “I live in a self-inflicted hell!! – endless disease of the soul!!” to the point where listening to the rest of the track is indeed makes you feel that you’re in a self-inflicted hell.

This release will likely appeal to thrash fanatics and is indeed worth checking out. Quebec has never really been the thrash leader of Canada, but with some improvements Horfixion might just change that.

Killing Songs :
Immaculate Destruction, Twisted Inner Mind
Jason quoted 69 / 100
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