Final Axe: Beyond Hell’s Gate |

Heavy Metal Through And Through

(2023 – Retroactive Records)

Yet another gem unearthed—and counting. So much material from the ’80s has been lost to time! And best of all, little by little, many of those old cassettes and vinyls have been revived to show us the power of old-school Heavy Metal, its vitality and originality. In that sense, the archival work, mastering, and restoration by the people at Retroactive Records is enviable.
In this case, what we have on our hands is what amounts to the debut album by the guys from Final Axe, an old band that, as you might guess, has its roots in the ’80s. Indeed, “Beyond Hell’s Gate” was originally released on cassette in 1989, and with a little extra help. It is none other than Robert Sweet of Stryper who is behind the drums on this recording. And man, the blond drummer has certainly brought a great deal of aggression to Final Axe’s music. His performance is perhaps one of the best I’ve heard from him in his entire career!
The band was formed in 1989 by Bill Menschen (a veteran of the scene who had also played with bands like Redeemer, Titanic, Seventh Power, and Rev Seven) and Keith Miles, who already had the band’s name and T-shirts with its logo before the band even existed! However, through the connection between the guitarist and the vocalist, the project would take shape, and soon they would have this first album ready, which, as we mentioned, was released only on cassette and independently. Rod Reasner on bass and Chris Lattimer on drums would join the project.

It’s hard to understand why “Beyond Hell’s Gate” didn’t gain as much traction as it deserved. Perhaps the explanation lies in its traditional, aggressive, and fast-paced Heavy Metal style, very different from what was perhaps more prevalent on the North American scene in those years, especially within the “Christian” music scene.
In any case, we must acknowledge that today, Final Axe’s material proves to be wonderful for those of us who love old-school Heavy Metal. So, after an intro titled after the album, we’re met with the fast-paced “Baptized In Blood,” a band classic and a succession of riffs heavily influenced by so-called “US Metal” and bands like Armored Saint, Messiah Prophet, Barren Cross, etc. And in that vein, at a moderate pace, we encounter another killer track like “Are You Ready?”, always banking on strong riffs and heavy basslines, with every beat Robert Sweet delivers on the drums standing out, as we’ve already mentioned. It’s truly impressive.
Final Axe is Heavy Metal—pure, direct, and uncompromising. “No Time To Die” is a clear demonstration of this, with a certain influence, in its conception, from Thrash Metal. The direction shifts slightly on “Soldier Of Compromise,” with a slight lean toward the hard rock ballad but without losing the metallic essence that Final Axe never sets aside.
“Blind Faith” has those riffs that can move any old-school metalhead, setting the pace and making you bang your head, as on most of the album, and almost as a strange, abrupt interlude, “Area 51” appears—a somewhat bizarre instrumental; practically a drum solo by Robert Sweet, layered with electronic sounds in the background and a certain futuristic pretension (well, as the cybernetic future was envisioned in the ’80s).
The thing is, Final Axe’s fury doesn’t stop, and so we come to “Close To Deliverance,” a fast-paced foray into thrash, in a short and direct track. Meanwhile, “Thrown In The Fire” is nothing more than a mid-tempo song with solid choruses, reaffirming Final Axe’s place in the realm of traditional heavy metal.
“Don’t Run Away” was the closing track on the original cassette version of the album, but it doesn’t end there, as this reissue of “Beyond Hell’s Gate” comes with a sort of “extras” or bonus tracks: the intriguing “War Cry” and “Rated X,” both featuring strong melodic elements within the full spectrum of heavy metal that Final Axe showcases in their sound. “Eternity” is just an instrumental piece that lasts less than a minute, and with that, the album comes to an end.
What’s interesting about “Beyond Hell’s Gate” is its adherence to traditional Metal, within a spectrum largely dominated by fast and heavy riffs, accompanied by drumming where Robert Sweet, quite frankly, tears it up. All in all, it rounds out a solid effort that perhaps, in its day, deserved wider exposure than it ultimately received.

Bill Menschen’s tremendous guitar work intertwines with the powerful and fierce vocals of Keith Miles, a tremendous singer with plenty of personality. Add Robert Sweet’s drumming to that mix, and you can already sense where this is headed.
The songs on Final Axe are, in each case, a sort of journey through the metallic sound of the old days and that touch of warlike anthems in all their glory. I’m really not exaggerating when I say that what’s in abundance here is steel and metal!
The sound is characteristic of the era: rough, raw, and without any subtlety. Apparently, the 2005 edition used electronic drums, but in this 2023 edition, it is Robert Sweet himself who is behind the kit, as indicated in the technical details, having recorded his parts in 2010. This gave this version a natural feel to the percussion sound, which is worth noting, in addition to the power it adds to Final Axe’s already fierce compositions.
As for the artwork, unsurprisingly, the cover reproduces the original album art with a few minor changes. The inner sleeve not only features the lyrics to the songs—mostly Christian in nature—but also displays old photos of the band and a nostalgic note written by Bill Menchen himself, the guitarist and driving force behind Final Axe. The good news is that in addition to this new CD edition, “Beyond Hell’s Gate” also has its own vinyl version. Something to applaud, without a doubt.
Final Axe cemented its legend with “Beyond Hell’s Gate,” an album that, beyond its various editions, finds in this 2023 version what I consider to be its definitive and best version yet, featuring superior remastering and a far more superb sound. This is strictly for fans of traditional metal and for those seeking great riffs, a raw sound, and solid guitar work. That’s what Final Axe is all about, in a nutshell. A work crafted for lovers of old-school heavy metal.
Here’s an old video of Final Axe performing live in 1991 with the track “Baptized In Blood,” from this great heavy metal album, and of course, the Retroactive Records website, where you can purchase this album in one of its available physical formats…

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