Hatesphere
Serpent Smiles and Killer Eyes
SPV Records

This latest effort is mindnumbing darkness music – it doesn’t keep your brain too busy, rather, it’s got that hypnotizing kind of push to it. While trying to absorb it for the first time, the first word that came to my mind was “professional.” The recording is really clean, at times slick. But that doesn’t preclude it from exuding proper rage, mixing it up between straight-up hardcore and regular metal. Sometimes there’s a vibe tinging on classic Biohazard grind and sometimes there’s Slayer thrashability. Vocalist Jacob Bredahl (who incidentally just mixed Whorecore‘s latest effort) usually stays on one tone of throaty screaming but does well when he occasionally ventures into actual singing. His transitions work nicely, especially noted on “The Slain.” “Drinking With the Dead” busts out some of that down-home sludgy feel as an intro (Brand New Sin comes to mind) but generally you know what you’re in for from the first few songs, and it’s good.