Documenting another in the long line of musical injustices, this is a 19 track retrospective of the 6 year career (what it was anyway) of overlooked and underrated Scouse jangle popsters Hellfire Sermons who were once fleetingly earmarked for Manic Street Preacher greatness by a few before interest turned to all things Manchester and then Seattle. Aided by glowing press clippings plus an excellent essay summating not merely the band’s existence but also putting them in a context appropriate to the musical climate in which they fought and ultimately lost, this chronologically tracked collection enables the listener to witness the natural evolution of the band. The early singles are melancholy-tinged yet optimistic and melodically astute guitar pop, inherently and classically Liverpudlian – particular standouts being the Coral-esque sea shanty ‘H.O.N.E.Y.M.O.O.N’, the beautifully shimmerpop of ‘Rachel Clean’ and the twangingly excellent ‘Quicksand’ (think, if you’ll forgive the geographical jump, a Clint Boon-less Inspiral Carpets). As the numbers climb, Hellfire Sermons noticeably mutate, gradually becoming edgier, tighter, dirtier, louder with a somewhat dramatic shift in sound suddenly apparent from 1990’s caustic mariachi-skiffling ‘Not Nailed Down’ and the jagged and agitated ‘Covered In Love’ from the following year. In comparison to the 80s material, the 90s found the four-piece increasingly abrasive and postpunk in outlook, willing to take greater risks (all of which successes) by straying further from their original sound, skewering later efforts with a sharp rusty Wire/Pixies/Fall spear. As a result the bolder, more tense and downright seething, often angry (who can blame them) second half of the record comes across as nowhere near as dated and of a freshness and vigour that would be arousing the attention of CTCL were they putting this stuff out today. It beggars belief that such a great band has been allowed to dwell in forgotteness for so long; Hellfire Sermons deserved considerably better than the short thrift they received at the time and are urgently overdue for reappraisal.
- Ash from t***e