| Apocalyptic Raids | |
| Type: | EP |
| Artist: | Hellhammer |
| Cover: | ApocalypticRaids.jpg |
| Released: | March 1984 1990 (1990 re-release) |
| Recorded: | 2–7 March 1984 |
| Studio: | Caet Studio, Berlin[1] |
| Length: | 19:41 27:03 (1990 re-release) |
| Label: | Noise |
| Producer: | Tom Warrior, Martin Ain, Karl U. Walterbach |
| Prev Title: | Satanic Rites |
| Prev Year: | 1983 |
| Next Title: | Demon Entrails |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
Apocalyptic Raids is an EP by the Swiss extreme metal band Hellhammer. It was recorded and released in March 1984, and was the band's only commercial release.
The record was a major influence on the then-emerging death metal and black metal genres. It has served as an inspiration to such varied and respected bands as Napalm Death and Sepultura, both of whom recorded cover versions of "Messiah".[2] [3]
Hellhammer split up only three months after recording this EP, and later regrouped as Celtic Frost.[4] The EP would be reissued six years later as Apocalyptic Raids 1990 A.D., boasting new artwork and two bonus tracks.[5]
The cover art of Apocalyptic Raids is influenced by German Expressionism's stark aesthetic, combining monochromaticity with the band's blood-red, blackletter-styled logo.[6]
Tracks 5 and 6 were originally part of the now out-of-print Death Metal (1984) compilation.
. Fischer . Thomas Gabriel . Thomas Gabriel Fischer . Are You Morbid?: Into the Pandemonium of Celtic Frost . London, UK . . 2000 . 80 . 978-1860743108 .