If I had to name one area of the world which I would call the
place to watch for extreme metal bands, I’d have to say that Poland
was at or near the top of my list. Groups like Vader have shown
that death metal has not only taken root in these unlikely areas,
but is being taken in directions no one could have imagined.
That’s why I like
Holy Dead Trinity, the first release on these shores from
Hate. A compilation of tracks from their two albums released in
Poland (and obviously meant to whet our appetites for the upcoming
new album
Cain’s Way, this disc shows that there can indeed be
originality in a genre that some may see as unbending. (One note to
the band, though – enough with the sound effect of flames licking
at the speakers. Once is okay; doing it again the next song is a
bit overkill. We know the band isn’t singing about milk and
cookies.)
Hate – lead guitarist/vocalist Adam The Original Sinner, rhythm
guitarist Kaos, bass guitarist Cyprian and drummer Mittloff – have
a surprisingly clear sound for this genre of music. Adam’s vocal
grunts are much crisper than anyone could imagine coming from a
group like this – namely, you can actually understand what he’s
saying at times! What makes his performance even more noteworthy is
the way he tries to work melody into his vocal lines – listen to
“Share Your Blood With Daemon” and tell me that he’s not actually
singing!
Holy Dead Trinity is filled with the kind of song titles and
lyrics that would make Jerry Falwell hide in fear – tracks such as
“God Overslept,” No Life After Death” and “Satan’s Horde” stand
out, even after repeat listenings. In fact, no track on this disc
disappoints – though I will admit that Hate didn’t do anything new
on their cover of Napalm Death’s “The Kill”.
I will raise one question, though – why wasn’t any material from
Daemon Qui Fecit Terram included on this disc? Oh, what’s
here is great, no question about that – but you’re literally
getting, with one exception from each, the entire contents of
Lord Is Avenger and the mini-EP
Victims on this disc. (The artwork itself is from
Lord Is Avenger.) It would have made for a more interesting
collection had Hate’s first full-length disc been included in the
mix as well. (It should also be noted that the lineup noted above
is the present-day group; the tracks on this disc were recorded
with lead guitarist Ralph, and everything culled from
Lord Is Avenger features bassist Daniel.)
Still,
Holy Dead Trinity is an impressive first taste from Hate,
and makes me want to hear what this band will offer on their next
full-length disc later this year. It also serves as a reminder that
some of the best death metal isn’t coming from Europe or America –
and that fans of the genre should be ready to broaden their
horizons.
