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September 7, 2008 |
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01. The Beginning And The End
02. Deathtrip
03. Vermin
04. Downward To Nothing
05. Only The Strongest...
06. What I See I Despise
07. Last Cut, Last Head
08. Warhead
09. Blankeyed
10. 500 Dead People
11. Bark At The Moon (OZZY OSBOURNE Cover)
12. Caught In A Mosh (ANTHRAX Cover)
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Armed with an endless supply of pure aggression and relentless brutality, the quintet from Denmark known as HATESPHERE have unleashed their most lethal dose of destruction yet. With their brand new album, "Ballet Of The Brute", the band pushes the boundaries of European-style melodic death/thrash metal way over the max. To those who think they possess the strength to withstand anything, I must warn you - prepare yourself for this one. Like a nail being driven down by a hammer, you are about to be crushed where you stand.
"Ballet Of The Brute" hits you dead-center in the face right from the get-go. The intro, "The Beginning And The End", is definitely not your typical opener, that is for sure. It is one heavy prelude full of double-kick and crunching riffage to prepare us for what lies ahead. "Deathtrip" immediately brings out the brutality and aggression that these guys are made of. Though a mere 1:54 in length, it is clearly one of the heaviest tracks on the disc and will leave you begging for mercy. "Vermin" is another vicious delight, with some quick time changes, wicked guitar work and killer vocals by Jacob Brendahl.
The violence does not stop there. Other aggressive thrashers like "Downward To Nothing", "What I See I Despise", and "Warhead" are filled with pounding drumming by Anders Gyldenøhr and slicing dual-axe assaults by Peter Lyse Hansen and new member Henrik Jacobsen. "Only The Strongest..." is the slower track on the CD, but it has some nice speed changes throughout and very angry vocals by Jacob (yet again). The mid-ranged "Last Cut, Last Head" is another standout, featuring a guitar solo that sounds something ala Michael Amott from ARCH ENEMY – nice!!
The disc is graced with a couple of bonus tracks as well, which first appeared on the "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed And Something Black" EP in 2003. HATESPHERE recreates OZZY OSBOURNE's classic, "Bark At The Moon" and ANTHRAX's "Caught In A Mosh" in their own style. The band unleashes so much of their rage into both songs, which gives them that added aggressive edge. Excellent job!
In a nutshell, "Ballet Of The Brute" is probably one of the most aggressive 2004 releases I have heard so far. This album had me head-banging and thrashing around from start to finish and I'd be very surprised if you slap this in your CD player for a spin and DON'T have the urge to bang your block as well. You may wake up the next morning with one hell of a sore neck, but trust me, it will be worth it.
Fans of bands like THE HAUNTED and CALLENISH CIRCLE will savor every moment they spend listening to this album. Check it out!
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