Rating:****        
 
  Houwitser 
Sledgehammer Redemption 
Self Released 
 
After Houwitser’s last album, “Damage Assessment” from 2002 and released by Osmose, the band called it quits in 2004. However, vocalist Stan and guitarist Michel felt they weren’t done with Houwitser yet, so they decided to reform the band, They had to find new members as apparently former members Aad Kloosterwaard, Alex Paul and Theo van Eekelen didn’t have the time or weren’t interested in a reformation.
Anyway, new members were found and the band was back in action.
Being without a deal they decided to record a promo to shop around and try to get a new deal. Based on the two songs on this promo this should be possible.
Guitarist Michel told me how the recordings came together as Houwitser’s live mixer had to do a project for his studies becoming a sound engineer he needed to record a band. Of course Houwitser wanted to record some new material, as they needed a promo. Unfortunately drummer Marco de Groot called in sick just before the actual recordings so the band used live versions of both songs to record all guitars, bass and vocals and finally, when Marco felt better again he recorded the drums. This seems like the world upside down but when you’re not aware of this fact you won’t notice.
The two songs, entitled ‘Sledgehammer Redemption’ and ‘Hatred Vindicated’, clock in at around 7 minutes, which seems short but I can tell you they sound like Houwitser through and through.
Concerning the tightness and skills I think they are even better compared to the Houwitser we know from before the split-up.
I can’t see why Houwitser wouldn’t be able to secure a new deal, as this is simply brutal death metal that takes no prisoners. It just kills! 
 
Pim Blankenstein