Up next on the chopping block is the band Hatesphere. I think I first heard of them when I was browsing metal bands on MySpace back in the day and something about them just caught my attention. So here we go…..
Hatesphere- if you are into bands like Lamb of God and The Haunted, then you’ll definitely like these guys. If you are a fan or have heard of the band Exhorder, then you can tell that the singer draws a lot of influence from that band as well. It’s a great debut album that has a mix of death metal and thrash metal. I will say though that it’s not a complete all out thrash fest as some of the guitars do slow down and speed up but overall, a great debut album. I give this 8/10
Standouts: Hate, Picture This, Bloodsoil
Bloodred Hatred- so on the last album there were some usage of keyboards which added to the melodic ness of that album. On here there is little to none of that. In fact, it’s just a straight guitar, bass, and drums album on top of the harsh and brutal vocals. Definitely angrier and a little faster than the previous entry. I give this 9/10
Standouts: Hell is Here, Believer, Plague
Ballet of the Brute- I think I remember buying this album at Amoeba years ago but I can’t remember now. Anyway, I think this is the album that really got me into these guys. What The Haunted is to Sweden, Hatesphere is to Denmark and this album would be like their One Kill Wonder. It’s fast, brutal and heavy and I give it 10/10
Standouts: Vermin, Deathtrip, Warhead
The Sickness Within- when I read reviews of this album, a lot of them said that this one isn’t as good as previous albums. I think that this one is right up there and sure it’s not as strong as the last album but it’s definitely a worthy follow up. Some of the songs can get a bit on the repetitive side but overall, a great album. I give it 8.5/10
Standouts: Sickness Within, Marked By Darkness, Reaper of Life
Serpent Smiles and Killer Eyes- 2007 seemed to be one of those years for Scandinavian death metal. I mean we had albums from bands like Arch Enemy, Entombed, Dark Tranquillity, and Soilwork and we have this one as well. I think out of all their albums this one has to be the most melodic. The songs are slowed down (but not considerably) and heavy and the singer actually goes into melodic hardcore territory which would almost be reminiscent of a band like Hatebreed. It’s really cool but I definitely prefer their fast and brutal stuff. Definitely a very strong 8/10
Standouts: The Slain, Forever War, Let Them Hate
To The Nines- there was at one point I did go back to using BitTorrent and this was one of those albums I downloaded but it kept on saying what album I was listening to so I just deleted it. Anyway, they have a new singer and his vocals are deeper and have more of a growl to them. This one loses the melodic edge that was on the last album and goes back to what they were doing before. I will say that the guitar work is awesome on this album. Definitely a 9/10
Standouts: Backstabber, In The Trenches, Cloaked in Shit
The Great Bludgeoning- this one is more of a continuation of the last album. I will say that aside from the great riffs the production is really solid here and the vocals are reminiscent of albums like Serpent Smiles. This is another one where it’s got that slow crushing riffs to some of the songs. While I don’t think it’s not as good as the previous album, you should definitely check this one out. I give this 9/10
Standouts: Venom, The Killer, Need To Kill
Murderlust- I guess the mood for this album would best be described as their darkest one so far. It does have its fair share of fast songs however, it’s also got some really slower songs as well. Again the guitar work really shines through on this and in some parts, you can really hear the snare drum (although it’s not as bad as it was on an album like St. Anger). There is even an instrumental track which is pretty awesome. Overall, a great album and I give it 8/10
Standouts: In Process, Murderlust, Iconoclast
New Hell- so on here they change direction and slightly go back to what they had a few albums ago. There are elements of the last album on here but overall, it’s more of what we are used to hearing at this point. I guess I would say that there is a good balance of faster stuff and slower stuff and it would appear they go back and forth with that on this one. Overall, not their strongest but still great and it gets 7/10
Standouts: Lines Crossed Lives Lost, Your Sad Existence, New Hell
Reduced to Flesh- ok so here we are at album number 10 and I feel like this one kind of has a little bit of everything thrown in. It’s got your faster thrashier songs, it’s got your melodic stuff, and it’s got some slower stuff. So its safe to say that there is something for everyone who appreciates this kind of music. I give this 7/10
Standouts: Nothing is Definite, Can Of Worms, Despicable You
If you are into bands like Carnal Forge, Dew-Scented, Lamb Of God, and The Haunted, then definitely check these guys out. Like I said before, they would be Denmark’s answer to The Haunted and I’m pretty sure they might’ve even played together at some point and if they haven’t then they definitely should and bring it to the U.S.
Final Grade: A-
Album Rankings:
- To The Nines
- Ballet of the Brute
- Bloodred Hatred
- The Great Bludgeoning
- The Sickness Within
- Serpent Smiles and Killer Eyes
- Hatesphere
- Reduced to Flesh
- Murderlust
- New Hell
Sinister Reviews 