War-themed death metal (don’t call it War Metal will always hold a special place in my heart. Bolt Thrower, or the greatest band in the history of great bands, invented the style –pairing working-class riffs and a lyrical obsession with war, weaponry, and warlike qualities such as honor, and pride. Even though they don’t record any more, their singular contribution to the halls of death metal will forever reign. Anyway. Hail of Bullets frontman Martin van Drunen — a legend in his own right, having fronted two of the best death metal bands of all time, Pestilence and Asphyx — played in Bolt Thrower at one point, filling in for a tour but never actually recording. The time served must have rubbed off. Here, with death metal supergroup Hail of Bullets — featuring other old men from Asphyx, Gorefest, and Thanatos — he funnels his own obsession with history through the lens of Bolt Thrower and comes up roses. III is the third album to draw inspiration from World War II, this time focusing on the epically badass German tank commander Erwin Rommel. Dude apparently conspired to overthrow Hitler, who was his direct boss (imagine that, seriously), but opposed assassinating him for fear that, in death, Hitler would become a martyr for a lasting cause. Once Rommel’s role in the conspiracy was uncovered, he was forced to kill himself with a cyanide pill lest his traitorous ways serve as a blow to German morale, adding endless mystique to his own legend and making him an oddly awesome choice of subject matter for a death metal record. This thing packs riffs, too. — Aaron [LISTEN]