"Ear Hunters" - September 5th, 2020 Edition

“Take heed! Another quartet of quarrelsome acts with new releases are on the hunt and seeking to possess the ears of new fans!”

· Gorgatron

Home: Fargo, North Dakota USA

Release: Pathogenic Automation

Date: August 28th, 2020 (Blood Blast Distribution)

Genre: Deathgrind

FFO: Carcass, Exhumed, Dying Fetus, Baring Teeth

The states of North and South Dakota haven’t exactly been major population centers in America for most of their existence. However, cities such as Sioux Falls, Rapid City (South Dakota), Minot, Bismarck, and Fargo (North Dakota) have all grown surely and steadily over the past few decades, and as a result, more and more acts seem to be springing from these rough and outdoorsy states. Bands like Angerot and Green Altar from South Dakota, and Ghost Bath, Frosthelm, Phobophilic, and the deathgrind collective known as Gorgatron out of North Dakota have begun to imbue these rugged lands with their own burgeoning metal identity.

Released August 28th, Gorgatron’s Pathogenic Automation is the third full-length to come from these Fargo-spawned maniacs. Formed in ’05, Gorgatron are like a massive atom smasher of technically sound death metal and classic, bloody grindcore; and seeing as they are no spring chickens in terms of experience together, either, the ensuing tunes upon Pathogenic Automation are as tight as a dolphin’s tooter, too. Therefore, if you’re at all into Carcass, Exhumed, or Dying Fetus, then this is album is not to be missed, full stop! Rating: 98 / 100 (A+)

· Psychosomatic

Home: Sacramento, California USA

Release: The Invisible Prison

Date: August 28th, 2020 (Nefarious Industries)

Genre: Classic Thrash/Crossover

FFO: Anthrax, D.R.I., Hirax, Power Trip

Sacramento’s Psychosomatic have been banging around and issuing release after release full of killer crossover thrash metal since way back in 1988, but since many of their California cohorts rode off into the sunset to large contracts, arena tours, and becoming household names, Psychosomatic have regrettably remained all too underground. Well, Hated One declares “no more!” Now a four piece of newer members combined with founding bassist and vocalist Jeff Salgado, Psychosomatic has issued its seventh official full-length album, The Invisible Prison, and honestly, its timing couldn’t be more perfect. With the recent and tragic passing of Power Trip’s Riley Gale (R.I.P.), there will certainly be many metalheads out there desperately searching for more modern crossover thrash to digest, and the twelve amazing cuts of Psychosomatic’s The Invisible Prison should more than fill the void. Seriously, this album fucking rips, so get it in your earholes now! Rating: 97 / 100 (A+)

· Svnth

Home: Rome, Italy EUR

Release: Spring in Blue

Date: August 28th, 2020 (Transcending Records)

Genre: Post-Black Metal/Shoegaze

FFO: Deafheaven, Alcest, Wolves in the Throne Room, L’Homme Absurde

Formerly known as Seventh Genocide (a post-reference to the 2004 book Century of Genocide by Totten/Parsons/Charny), Italy’s SVNTH have been morphing and evolving ever since 2006. Originally a DSBM act, SVNTH have espoused more of a post-black style upon their latest LP, Spring in Blue, the third full-length to be issued from this Roman quartet. Introspective, powerful, and suffused with ebbs and flows, Spring in Blue is a pleasing, if not lengthy, effort. Four of the six tracks clock in at longer than ten minutes (and two of those longer than thirteen), but while the dynamics of the tunes are fitting, some of the tracks can drag on a little. Still, not all of us are always in the mood for blasting, blaring metal all of the time, so if you’re on the hunt for a new album that’s got gobs of maturity and oodles of peaks and valleys, then SVNTH’s Spring in Blue is the album for you. Rating: 84 / 100 (B)

· Idolatria

Home: Pordenone, Italy EUR

Release: Tetrabestiarchy

Date: September 4th, 2020 (Signal Rex)

Genre: Black Metal

FFO: Mayhem, Watain, Suffering Hour, Theotoxin

Taking their time to craft an album worthy of praise and adulation, Idolatria may not exactly be “new” to their hometown scene in Pordenone, Italy, but taking five years to write and record your sophomore effort can have that effect of making an act seem newer than they really are. Still, if all bands that took five years to write an album put out one as solid as Tetrabestiarchy, then maybe the industry would be in a better spot overall. Using dissonance like the brush of an accomplished painter, Idolatria take darkness and chaos to new melodic levels upon Tetrabestiarchy, the haunting new offering to come from these Italian black metallers. Raw but refined, bestial but beguiling, Idolatria’s Tetrabestiarchy is straight hypnotic fire of the blackest black that is sure to drag this hitherto obscure act into the spotlight. Great shit. Rating: 92 / 100 (A-)

That does it for this edition of Hated One’s “Ear Hunters”! Thank you so much for reading, listening, and supporting any or all the acts featured here today. Your support means the world to us all, bands and journalists alike. Stay metal! \m/

EP Double Dose: Intoxicated & Vital Spirit

“Two diminutive delectations, scheduled for simultaneous release, analyzed and anatomized for your reading and listening pleasure!”

· Intoxicated

Home: Altamonte Springs, Florida USA

EP: Walled

Date: August 28th, 2020 (Seeing Red Records)

Genre: Thrash n’ Death

FFO: Obituary, Macabre, Battlecross, Nylithia, Raider

Originally formed way back in the early 90’s, Florida’s Intoxicated recorded a few demos - one reportedly produced and recorded by the legendary Chuck Schuldiner himself - and released an independent full-length in 1997 before promptly dropping off the map due to its members being roped into other acts and projects (most notably Andrew W.K. and Jackass, among others). But after keeping the old moniker on the shelf, vox/guitarist Erik Payne and bassist Gregg Roberts decided recently to pull it down and blow off the heavy layers of accumulated dust from Intoxicated.

With the impending, August 28th release of their Walled EP, Intoxicated are officially returning after twenty-three years to a world much readier and more willing to embrace their thrashing, death-graced goodness (honestly, in hindsight, 1997 wasn’t the best year to release a thrash album, eh?). Featuring six brand-new thrash n’ death compositions, Walled is a banger of an EP that is also an excellent reintroduction of Intoxicated to the metal world, so don’t miss out! Rating: 89 / 100 (B+)

· Vital Spirit

Home: Vancouver, British Columbia CAN

EP: In the Faith That Looks Through Death

Date: August 28th, 2020 (Hidden Tribe Records)

Genre: Pagan/Folk Black

FFO: Wormwitch, Seer, Drudkh, Winterfylleth, The Ruins of Beverast

Coalescing out of the mists between Vancouver's Wormwitch and Seer are Vital Spirit, whose debut EP In the Faith That Looks Through Death drops tomorrow from Hidden Tribe Records. Formed by members representing both aforementioned acts, Vital Spirit displays influential aspects of everything from Native American, Mexican, and Mayan lore, third-wave black metal à la Drudkh and Taake, and the proliferated style of folky, atmospheric airs all to awe-inspiring effect upon their debut EP.

In the Faith That Looks Through Death contains four exploratory tracks displaying an obvious fusion of sound and styling between Wormwitch and Seer, sure, but the differences that set this act apart from their predecessors are what transform this mere collaborative experiment into something special. Refined yet raw, thoughtful yet instinctive, Vital Spirit’s initial offering stands on its own as a conspicuous and captivating groundwork release. Great shit. Rating: 93 / 100 (A-)

Be sure to visit the bands and support them on the web if you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read and heard here today, and check back again soon for more reviews and interviews covering the newest and most cutting edge metal acts out there – brought to you proudly by Hated One Metal Reviews! Stay metal! \m/

"Ear Hunters" - August 25th, 2020 Edition

“Avast! Barbarous acts bearing brand-new material are stalking the night and hunting to own the fresh ears of new fans!”

· DeathCave

Home: Seattle, Washington, USA

Release: Smoking Mountain

Date: August 14th, 2020 (Satanik Royalty Records)

Genre: Sludge/Doom

FFO: The Ditch and the Delta, Black Cobra, Graves at Sea, Conan, Pale Horseman

Just storming out of the pluvial, Pacific Northwest are the spacey, sludge/doom trio known as DeathCave. Formed in 2018 and still green around the gills, DeathCave have gone straight for the jugular with the recent release of their initial full-length, Smoking Mountain, whose five voluminous tracks have laid a strong foundation for future works from this budding troupe. Scopious, inky, and occasionally stellular in sound and structure, the dexterity of the music on Smoking Mountain belies the rookie status of DeathCave and its members. Not too shabby whatsoever. Rating: 87 / 100 (B)

· Bear Mace

Home: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Release: Charred Field of Slaughter

Date: August 14th, 2020 (Independent)

Genre: Classic Death

FFO: Bolt Thrower, Obituary, Jungle Rot, Unleashed, Gatecreeper, Cardiac Arrest

Containing a multitude of veteran members from throughout Chicago’s metal scene, Bear Mace have returned with another heaping helping of classically influenced death metal, served up independently and full scale, entitled Charred Field of Slaughter. As a follow up to their 2017 debut LP, Butchering the Colossus, Charred Field of Slaughter represents an overall step-up, across the board. Production, songwriting, depth... all have noticeably improved upon the sophomore offering from this new(ish) Windy City project. Still at large and most definitely in charge, Bear Mace will certainly wrangle in a whole bunch of new fans as soon as this solid release ripples out along the web. Rating: 93 / 100 (A-)

· Midgard

Home: Kaniv, Ukraine, EUR

Release: Tales of Kreia

Date: August 18th, 2020 (Sliptrick Records)

Genre: Folk/Melodic Death

FFO: Eluveitie, Suidakra, Black Kirin, Nothgard, Varus

Personifying the third Ukrainian band to receive some ink from Hated One Metal Reviews over the past couple months are the folk-inspired, melodic death outfit from Kaniv, Midgard, whose third full-length Tales of Kreia is available everywhere now from Sliptrick Records. Rhythmic, rustic, and redolent of a more mystical age, Midgard’s Tales of Kreia contains another eleven full cuts of fine, folky death metal infused with the ancient forest spirits of Eastern Europe. Prolific through the first five years of their existence, Midgard are yet another fine Ukrainian act calling attention to the burgeoning metal scene of this small, war-bruised-but-not-broken country. Give ‘em a listen! Rating: 83 / 100 (B-)

· Self Hypnosis

Home: Huddersfield, England/UK, EUR

Release: Contagion of Despair

Date: August 21st, 2020 (Svart Records)

Genre: Progressive Blackened Doom

FFO: In the Company of Serpents, Head of the Demon, Ashtar, Seventh Circle

Going for the gusto with an initial release topping an hour and fifteen minutes worth of blackened, progressive doom are England’s Self Hypnosis. New in name and sound, Self Hypnosis was born out of the need for its founder, Kris Clayton, to separate himself from his other, more well-known project, Camel of Doom, as the music he’d been writing had become so avant-garde and so progressively different than past works that a new name had become obvious and necessary. Influenced by everything from Yes to Godflesh to Yob to Meshuggah and beyond, Self Hypnosis brings an overabundance of progressiveness upon Contagion of Despair, available now from Svart Records. More than replete with good tune after good tune, Contagion of Despair’s only drawback it that it could’ve done with some trimming, as listening to nearly eighty minutes of doom in one sitting can be quite daunting, regardless of how well-composed it is. Rating: 90 / 100 (A=)

Be sure to visit the bands’ pages if you’ve enjoyed anything you’ve read and heard here today, and as always, thank you for reading! Stay metal, always! \m/