Smeared across the hallway mirror and rounded off into a fist by the clench of the killer’s knife-hand this sophomore full-length album from Manchester, England-based speed/heavy metal trio AGGRESSIVE PERFECTOR bears the blood-fingered mark of supernatural horror, a fascination with mortal fear beyond the reaches of the imagination. Locked into tales of beasts, daemonic cult, and daimonian influence ‘Come Creeping Fiends‘ finds the band lacking none of their auld heavy metal compulsion here six years beyond their last. There may be countless ‘evil’ heavy metal bands carrying on with some pump in their action today but these folks have -songs- which consistently find their own demented hook beyond the norm throughout this brief but rock solid second LP.

Aggressive Perfector united circa 2014 between folks best known for black/death metal band Wode incl. the fellowe who played drums in Heavy Sentence (R.I.P.) with the intent of making sepulchral heavy metal, Satan’s steel forged in horror and the intense fire wherein tail-end NWOBHM and speed/thrash metal advent comingled circa ’84 or so. That isn’t to say that their first demo tape (‘Satan’s Heavy Metal‘, 2016) sounded exactly like ‘Queen of Death‘-era Atomkraft but had a sort of Neat Records meets ‘Show No Mercy‘ sort of deal in its action. If you’re familiar with that tape Side B of this new album notably features a new version of “Harlot’s Spell”, a fine example of where the band’ve grown in voice over the last decade while staying true to their original idea.

Back in 2019 I’d given high praise to the band’s debut full-length album, ‘Havoc at the Midnight Hour‘, naming it as: “one of the most striking debuts in recent memory, an energetic shock of melodically viable and bloody-stump swinging heavy metal that’ll do more than tickle out a bit of nostalgia from your old bones.” as I’d appreciated the ear-worming jaunt of it all alongside their nudge toward mid-80’s mid-paced thrash. ‘Come Creeping Fiends‘ arguably leans away from the speed metal side of Aggressive Perfector in favor of (mostly) rugged traditional heavy metal, shorter songs which’re quicker to the point and prone to carry a catchier swing around every corner.

If we could accuse earlier Aggressive Perfector of pulling from rowdier British heavy metal and the extreme ‘evil’ speed metal of the past the same is true (but different) as we approach album number two. Taking a lens to the guitar work which drives opener “Dead Undead” doesn’t reveal cold adherence to the strictures of the past, deploying speedier gait and some diabolic nigh power metallic gallop as they keep the energy rolling. Just past the first salvo of riffs and beyond the Harris-esque bass guitar breaks from their opening verses I’d found hit the ~1:14 minute mark offered the first blisspoint per their guitar work, a simple enough late 70’s-cum-early 80’s wrangled gesture which revs the heavy metal traditionalist mind outright. The way they’d carried the momentum of that first song and its general swing into the more kinetic ’til Lizzy-broken wail of “Strange Companion” had me overhyped on first impression.

The raw-throated snarl of vocalist/guitarist Dan Chainsaw carries admirably expanded range here between his default shouted severity, uncontrolled bizarro wailing, a few melodic “clean” spots on songs like “Strange Companion”, and a general boon to backing layers which help pull the listener into their assail. Much as I like how his level of expression works in roughhoused speed metal the Tom G. Warrior worthy grooves in the first half of “Obscene Cult” connects on another level on the path through the full listen, helping the whole deal feel like it has more to do even as its short length is running fast. That same song carrying mid-era Tank style guitar work into its second half made it an easy favorite up front; I don’t know that every song here smokes the realm to death (“Like a Beast” is just alright) but the momentum created by the running order is brilliant considering the amount of damage they fit into its ~30 minute stretch.

Side B offers no less quality than the first half of ‘Come Creeping Fiends‘ but you’ll feel the album winding down beyond the main feature of the aforementioned “Harlot’s Spell” which acts as the main feature of the second half per its five minute length. Though I’d already been a fan of Aggressive Perfector‘s demo and the early Slayer inspired sound of it I was impressed to see the amount of wax they’d applied to this new version of it, extending the arrangement enough that it feels like a peak in the album’s overall statement. The end of the album doesn’t disappoint so much as come about one song too soon, barely edging into full-length via a one minute instrumental outro at a point where a grand finale might’ve been a clinching moment otherwise.

Brevity isn’t such a crime in the realm of heavy/speed metal and of course it counts tenfold that Aggressive Perfector have loaded the experience with tuneful, aggressive and in some cases strongly varietal fare in presenting their half-decade updated gig. Memorable, crammed with salt-rubbed ‘tude and showcasing brilliant cohesion between the trio on deck no doubt ‘Come Creeping Fiends‘ will be a good time for folks seeking a faster, uglier take on 80’s heavy metal with a finger always readied on a speed metal tip. Per my own experience this one became habitual real quick per its short runtime and uninterrupted string of interest. A high recommendation.

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