Persekutor’s Top 11 Bands (Besides Themselves) Who Are Hard as Hell and Cvlt as Fvck!

Metal takes many forms nowadays, but very few acts sound as vintage and authentic as Persekutor. The self-proclaimed “Ice Metal” band just released their latest full-length, Snow Business, via Blues Funeral Recordings, ten big, bad, and bold new tracks that will take you to guitar riff heaven. The album, and the band’s sound in general, is heavily inspired by classic Black Metal icons like Venom, Celtic Frost, and Bathory, but there’s a certain accessibility to their sound, a classic hard rock twist that makes them very approachable to both casual metal fans and non-fans alike. It’s the follow-up to their 2022 EP Brain Freeze, which marked the debut of their new second guitarist Blake Meahl, who previously was a valued member of the great Huntress.

It’s been a very upward trajectory for Persekutor over the last few years, ever since frontman Vlad the Inhaler moved to Los Angeles and started putting his lineup together. In came guitarist Inverted Chris (Lightning Swords of Death), bassist Adam Hell Murray (Deth Crux, Blistering Joy), and drummer Scott Batiste (Saviours), and things were set. Their 2020 debut record, Permanent Winter, was immediately recognized for its clever mash-up of black metal and down-and-dirty rock n’ roll, and the band has been riding that wave since.

With Snow Business now having arrived, we are joined today by the enduring Vlad the Inhaler, who runs down for us his Top 10, no sorry, Top 11, bands who rock as hard as Persekutor themselves.

Persekutor’s Top 11 Bands (Besides Themselves) Who Are Hard As Hell and Cvlt as Fvck:

1. Tank

“Is undisputed facts amongs those who is knowings what is up that Tank’s Filth Hounds of Hades is one of greatest albums ever create by humans. Release in 1982 and produce by Fast Eddie Clarke from Motörhead, Filth Hounds is masterplan of lead bassist/lead vocalist Algy Ward, who is also playings on best Damned album (Machine Gun Etiquette) and best Saints album (Eternally Yours). Algy passed away recently, RIP. But what a fucking album!”

Favourite track: “Turn Your Head Around”

2. Black Death

“Black Death is heavy metal band with all-Black members formed in 1977! Thinks about this for minute. Was so crazy idea that frontman Siki Spacek is having to bring funk musicians to Judas Priest concert (Stained Class tour!) to shows them the ways of heavy metal. They put out killer self-titled album in 1984 and gettings paid in cocaine for concerts. Original bass player gettings murdered in 1979, but Siki and Black Death is still going strong!”

Favourite track: “Night of the Living Dead”

3. Stormwitch

“Germany is havings many killer metal bands of course, but Stormwitch is one of best! Debut with 1984 album Walpurgis Night is big time favourite for me, so many cool tracks. I remember hearings ‘Priest of Evil,’ ‘Werewolves on the Hunt,’ and title track at bonfire party many years ago in Old Country, blowing my mind! Stormwitch puttings out many good albums in 1980s before breakings up and gettings back together many times over years, but is still goings with original lead vocalist Andy Aldrian!”

Favourite track: “Priest of Evil”

4. Killer

“Comings out of Antwerp in 1980, Killer is formed by lead vocalist/lead guitarist ‘Shorty’ who was playings in hard rock band Mothers Of Track, havings cool biker rock single ‘Motorcycle Rock’ in 1976. Shorty in formings Killer with bassist Spooky and drummer Fat Leo (RIP), and puttings out four killer albums from 1981 to 1990. Like Motörhead, Venom, and Tank, they is showings how to do proper three-piece heavy band!”

Favourite track: “Ready For Hell”

https://youtu.be/nDw1LyQeeLQ

5. Wolf

“Fuck, this band is rulings so much! I am first hearings their Evil Star album when it is comings out in 2004, and the whole record is hard and heavy metal perfections, not a shitty track on it. Plus the best covers of Blue Öyster Cult’s ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper,’ Slayer ‘Die By the Sword,’ and The Ramones ‘I’m Not Afraid of Life’ you will ever hear. They is still making cool records with very consistent rate; they do one called Shadowlands last year that I am diggings. Guys, let’s make tour and crush Europe together!”

Favourite track: “Evil Star”

6. Nifelheim

“Twin brothers from Sweden playing black thrash in the classics style. They is covered in spikes and leather and black eye paints and is uncompromising as fuck! Boss album title Envoy of Lucifer and song titles ‘Sodomizer’ and ‘Witchfuck’ makings for maximum entertainments. They is also well known as obsessive Iron Maiden fans; there is even Swedish TV documentary about this! I am also hearings they is scheduling their tours to follow Maiden tours so they can go to see Maiden on days off. I am hoping this is true!”

Favourite track: “Black Curse”

7. RAM

“This is one more band from Sweden that I am gettings into heavily over last couple years. First album I am hearings from them is Svbversvm from 2015, and then quickly discoverings the rest of the catalog. They is playings in very traditional style with killer soarings vocals by guy named Oscar Carlquist (I am hearings he is manager of Nifelheim also, is this true?). Anyway, I cannots get enough of these guys. Last album they put out is 2019, so hopefully another one soon!”

Favourite track: “Holy Death”

8. Halloween

“So many excellent things with Halloween as name: the night, the movie (John Carpenter original!), the Misfits songs (both!), the Persekutor song (‘Halloween ’91’ yes!) and of course the band from Detroit. 1985 debut album Don’t Metal with Evil is kinds of like costumes shop three-way betweens WASP, Tokyo Blade, and Twisted Sister so you cannots really go wrong. If anyone is knowings where I can gets original vinyl of this album, or Halloween first single ‘Trick Or Treat,’ please gets in touch!”

Favourite track: “Trick or Treat”

9. Rose Tattoo

“The toughest Australia band of all times! Of course AC/DC is fuckings fantastics, we love them long time, but Rose Tattoo gets the props here because not nearly as populars. They even has albums produced by Vanda & Young (older brother of Angus and Malcolm), same producers who are doings AC/DC albums before Mutt Lange is taking over.

“Sadly most of the original Rose Tattoo guys is dead, but singer Angry Anderson is still carryings the torch. (He also starrings with Tina Turner in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome!) I am having tickets to see them in Hollywood recently but tour is cancelled!”

Favourite track: “Let It Go”

10. The Night Eternal

“Why nobody seem to be talkings about these guys I am havings no idea. Killer melodics heavy metal from Essen, Germany, that is remindings me of the late, great In Solitude. The 2021 album they are havings, Moonlit Cross, is fantastics. All the cool twin guitar aktions plus amazings baritone vocals from Ricardo Baum; Danzig fans will like him a lots! They is havings new album comings out July, and I cannot waits to hear!”

Favourite track: “Elysion (Take Me Over)”

11. Venator

“This is band I am only discoverings recently, but as soon as I am hearings mega anthem ‘Manic Man’ on playlist, I am gettings their Echoes From the Gutter album that is comings out last year! These guys is from Austria, and you can hear the boss blend of Priest, Maiden, and hard rock influences. I am hopings we can make concert with them and The Night Eternal in Europe someday. This would be top notch bill!”

Favourite track: “Manic Man”

Persekutor ‘Snow Business’ album artwork