Atomic Aggressor The Occult Forces Review
Atomic Aggressor
The Occult Forces
Hells Headbangers
2026
I have to start this writing by first saying that any metal aficionado, especially those who like things on the more subterranean level of the underground, should be familiar with Hell's Headbangers. The Valley City, Ohio-based label (run by brothers Chase Horval, Eric Horval, and Justin Horval [also known as J-Dawg]) has been bringing it for 20 years, specializing in the most extreme forms of black, death, thrash, doom, and even the more traditional side of things. It should come as no surprise, then, that Chile's Atomic Aggressor call the label home and have belched forth their fiery and utterly acerbic second full-length of death metal, The Occult Forces, through the long-standing cult imprint.
Atomic Aggressor burst onto the international scene on the strength of two highly acclaimed demos. First was 1989's influential Bloody Ceremonial demo and 1991's Resurrection demo. After breaking up prematurely and reforming in 2007 to play some festivals, they released a split 7" with Death Yell in 2013. Following that well-received wax, they partnered with HH for Sights of Suffering in 2014 and 2019's Primal Chaos EP. Now, after seven long years, headed up by the two remaining founding members, vocalist/bassist Alejandro Díaz and guitarist Enrique Zúñiga, we have the barbaric 8 songs of The Occult Forces. Atomic Aggressor play a style of death metal here that is sure to appeal to fans of the thrashier side of the late '80s and early to late '90s eras, and they do it with venom and vigor that sounds anything but dated or revivalist.
The production is crystal clear, sharp, and has plenty of attack, with upfront guitars, intelligible and discernible vocals, and tightly compressed (not overly, just enough) frenetic drumming behind proficient bottom end. Atomic Aggressor are not afraid of adding a little blackened atmosphere here and there either by way of minor harmonized guitars, chord inversions, tremolo picking, and blast beats ("Evil From Beneath"). Elsewhere, Floridian touches abound with chunky power chords, serpentine-moving riffs, and plenty of double kicks ("Dwellers of the Unknown"), which also has a foreboding mid-tempo section before breaking into a shredded lead break, replete with fast phrasing and whammy bar abuse. Throughout, the lyrical themes seem to be right in line with the album's title, discussing the mysteries and the forbidden realm of the occult. Satanic? I'm not sure if that's completely the ideology within, but they don't seem to be shying away from it or being tongue-in-cheek about such subjects either. The other notable thing I want to mention here is the songwriting as a whole. These tunes are chock-full of several riffs, seamless time changes, and heavy to somewhat eerily melodic. These are dynamic, heavy arrangements ("Divided to Conceived") that, while busy, never sound like they are struggling with each transition. Deadly efficient and malicious in their intent ("As I Descend"), there isn't any filler here.
The Occult Forces flies by in its 40-minute runtime, but there is enough meat on these bones to keep any aggressive old head well satiated, especially the constantly shifting closer, "Tormenting Voices." South American death metal has a long and storied tenure, and Atomic Aggressor are further adding to its unique legend here. These are not songs created by a band that are phoning anything in. In fact, The Occult Forces proves that they are laser-focused, monstrous songwriters, full of vitality and defying the notion of slowing down with age. Sit back, black out your room, light some candles, and revel in the unsettling brutality. Atomic Aggressor have carved a fresh, blood-soaked pentagram into the arm of the war-like, devil-obsessed subset of the early sounds of death metal. You've been warned…
RIYL- early Morbid Angel, Death, Possessed, Deicide, Order From Chaos, Krisiun, Angel corpse
~TB