Formed in 1988, after two years as Pestilence (no relation to the Dutch masters), Chile’s Death Yell were on the very verge of breaking the country’s long silence as a metal mecca. The Santiago-based death metallers released the Vengeance from Darkness a year later. Famed in tape-trading circles, the band’s debut demo spread far and wide, ultimately leading to a split 7″ with Finnish black metal misfits Beherit on Germany’s short-lived Turbo Music. But as with everything, Death Yell were also short-lived. They burned bright from 1988 through 1991. Then, they were gone.
Now, 20 years later, Death Yell has reformed. Not only to exact revenge on the time away from the molten metal spotlight but to issue the band’s first album, Descent into Hell. Now signed to Hells Headbangers, the Chileans are using their time wisely, focusing on reality instead of fantasy. Hell is real, and Death Yell have returned to remind us.
Says guitarist Pollo: “I guess our songs are a bit of self-biographic. For instance, the first song we wrote when we joined back after 20 years was “Back from the Depths”. Our lyrics talk about our own thoughts and feelings of what we are living, seeing and hearing… there are no fantasy dreams nor epic stories! No Lovecraft at all! It is all about our own lives, nightmares, and internal demons! In the same way, our music also reflects that. We do not feel tied to any particular style, and that is maybe what characterize our particular style, no one of our songs looks like another… we can go from absolute chaotic blasting sound to a rhythmic swinging melody. “Descent into Hell” in particular is about not feeling guilty for being corrupt, immoral, depraved. it is about being bad and enjoying it. The protagonist is becoming obsessed with evilness and then deserving going to hell… he is willing to be punished and then aspiring to be burnt and finally becoming Lucifer itself! Music-wise, the song reflects a bit of that too, starting with fast and messy riffing as living in sin… and then ends up in a hypnotic rhythm, enjoying the ecstasy of hell.”
Indeed, check out the ecstasy of hell with Death Yell’s “Descent into Hell”.
** Death Yell’s new album, Descent into Hell, is out August 15th on Hells Headbangers. Pre-order CDs, t-shirts, and vinyl HERE.