Verge Of Death
(Thrashing Cult Records)
53:24min
Japan is one of those countries that have had a steady underground scene throughout the years. One of the aspects that I like the most is that, no matter the genre of music, the quality is great; always. And HATE BEYOND falls into that category. This amazing Death / Thrash band from Osaka was formed in 2002. Shame on me for not knowing about them until now, because they deserve all the attention they can get. With 3 albums under their belts, they’ve just put out "Verge Of Death", courtesy of Thrashing Cult Records from China. And the label’s first release ever could not be better. These guys have taken 13 songs off their first three albums, re-arranged and re-recorded them with their current line-up. And the outcome is a ripping Death / Thrash Metal album that combines heavier (mid-era) SLAYER sound with FORBIDDEN / VIOLENCE pace and vocals similar to MASSACRA’s early works. All wound up in a style of their own. Masaki and Yuuichi (drums and bass respectively) provide the perfect foundation of manic beats for Warzy’s solid riffing and for Keiichirou’s harsh vocals. In my humble opinion, the latter tend to sound one dimensional from time to time and could use some variation. But that’s just me. The snappy production is great. I mean, there is that early 90s sound, but somehow updated to today’s standards. The mix is clear and every instrument has its place. The somewhat trebly guitar tone is backed up by a tight bass sound and these two blend together perfectly with the solid and tight drums. "Verge Of Death" is an amazing release with top notch musicianship and an insane pace that never looses the grip around your throat. This will have you thrashing, bashing and non-stop headbanging for almost an hour. Absolutely recommended! Go ahead and get this one right away! So, buy or die! Go ahead and show the band your well deserved support here: www.myspace.com/hatebeyond. And check out the label’s website to get their album here: http://site.douban.com/thrashingcultrecords
Alfonso Perez
Verge Of Death
(Polymorphe Records)
57:48min
For some reason I have heard this band before… a really aggressive Thrash Metal band from Japan, formed back in 2002 and this is already their fourth album. The production values are absolutely great and also the musical performance is very good. Music-wise the band plays a very fast kind of Thrash / Speed Metal, with rough vocals that at times borders into the Death / Thrash territory but keep firm in the Thrash zone. Although this is mainly played at very fast tempo, some songs tend to sound similar. I do feel a certain influence form the Bay Area Thrash from the likes of DEFIANCE, HEATHEN, LÄÄZ ROCKIT and even some similar things to Arizona’s Thrashers ATROPHY. I also sense some Hardcore influences mainly D.R.I. and EXCEL to a certain point. Although they do a very energetic performance, at the end of the day they still lack in catchy riffs and memorable songs. As a party Thrash band they actually do it quite well, maybe better than some more popular names nowadays. Yet, I do feel a singer rather than a growler might fit their style a bit more, but hey, that’s just me. Included in this version is a cover from another Japanese Thrash Metal band, RAGING FURY that has a quite similar style, so it goes well with the other songs. If you like Bay Area Thrash I suggest to check them out. More information at: www.myspace.com/hatebeyond, www.facebok.com/polymorpheshop
Julián “Violent Anger” Núñez