Denmark's Hatesphere are back with a brand new band, label, and CD, this one titled To the Nines, out now on Napalm Records. Hatesphere main man, guitarist Peter Lyse Hansen, brought in a whole new line-up after 2007's Serpent Smiles and Killer Eyes, so in the band now is singer Jonathan Albrechtsen, guitarist Jakob Nyholm, bassist Mixen Lindberg, and drummer Dennis Buhl. Musically, not much has changed, To the Nines still represents the raging mix of thrash and death metal that Hatesphere are known for. Albrechtsen's shouts and growls permeate thrashers like "Cloaked In Shit", "Backstabber", and "The Writing's On The Wall" as if he's been in the band for years, but as always it's the riffs that make or break a Hatesphere album, and there's plenty to feast on here throughout pieces like the excellent title track, "In the Trenches", and the frantic "Oceans of Blood". As solid as much of To the Nines is, there are some problems. For one, the CD seems like it was a little rushed, as if the band put this together too quickly before some of the songs were fully realized. The result of this being that a few of the tracks sound almost unfinished, or too similar to their siblings, riffs thrown in just to flesh out some of the songs, yet giving these pieces an all too familiar sound. At just over 30 minutes long, what you have here is basically a very solid extended EP from Hatesphere launching their new line-up and label, so I guess the 'rushed' feel and brevity of the CD can be forgiven. Some furious songs are included here, so if you are a fan of the band be rest assured that on the surface not much has changed and they will continue to wreak havoc as they've done in the past.
Track Listing
- To The Nines
- Backstabber
- Cloaked In Shit
- Clarity
- Even If It Kills Me
- Commencing A Campaign
- The Writing's On The Wall
- In The Trenches
- Aurora
- Oceans Of Blood
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