Artist: Hate Eternal
Label: Earache Records
Release Date: 10/1/02
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Title: King of All Kings Artist: Hate Eternal Label: Earache Records Release Date: 10/1/02 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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4 | ||
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3 | ||
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4 | ||
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Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
It's been awhile since we've heard from these guys, but apparently Erik Rutan found some time after his obligations with Alas and Morbid Angel were completed to put a new album together. I truly hate reviewing anything from Hate Eternal. Whether it be their live shows or their albums, I find them far too talented to receive a poor review, however, they also fail to move me on any grand scale. Basically what I'm saying is that I like this band. When their music is on, I'm happy. When they are playing on stage before me, I'm happy. But when I'm really in the mood to hear some great, brutal, American death metal? I end up reaching for Morbid Angel, Nile or Suffocation instead.
"I truly hate reviewing anything from Hate Eternal." This album is basically the same way. I've made a concerted effort to try and immerse myself in this record. Making a pointed attempt to pick out every impressive change, riff and growl (and of these there are many). I'm sorry to say that my overall malaise toward this band remains for the most part intact, but that should be of little discomfort to the average Hate Eternal fan.
This is a good album, no doubt about it. Just by listening to it, one can hear the effort put in. Be it songwriting, production, or even the artwork-attention to detail takes center stage. My biggest problem with this album is that whenever I hear it, it screams MORBID ANGEL to me (probably more than is deserved), but then again, most brutal American death owes a great deal to that band. What is promising about this band is that I find myself picking out the individual songs better, showing they have more character than on the last album, which just kind of breezed past me. And speaking of breezing past, this album clocks in only a little over a half an hour, which hits me as a little sparse.
"This is a good album, no doubt about it. Just by listening to it, one can hear the effort put in." Tracks like the title track, "Beyond Redemption," and "Powers That Be" had me looking at the tracklisting so I could footnote my favorite songs, something that never came up during my perusal of the last record, so things must be improving. Due to this fact I'm going to be a little generous when scoring this one, but they pretty much deserve it all on their own.
Death's Review:
Exhibiting what is perhaps the start of what one might call a "reverse trend," I have been getting more and more into traditional, North American style death metal lately. I have been especially appreciating blistering brutality when juxtaposed with violent riffage and groove, and thus I had high hopes that the new Hate Eternal would be just enough of an expansion for the band into some more "musical" elements that I'd end up tying a bib around my neck and eating up the trademark Hate Eternal speed and the blast beats with a fork in each hand. The advance buzz on King of All Kings was strong in the underground, with Hate Eternal having participated recently on the big Nile/Arch Enemy tour. And with Erik Rutan recently having departed the ranks of Morbid Angel, I thought part of the reason might have been due to the strength of the new Hate Eternal album; perhaps he felt that he was sitting on something truly special.
"With Erik Rutan recently having departed the ranks of Morbid Angel, I thought part of the reason might have been due to the strength of the new Hate Eternal album."
Then I heard the record. Verdict? It's OK. But nothing nearly as special as I had hoped for. It is all flat out speed and chaos, all of the time. Definitely brutal and definitely intense, but no killer riffs that make me want to go sick and break everything in the room. There is a lot of other stuff out there now that I would rather be listening to. And it is too bad, 'cause I really wanted to like this one a lot. Hate Eternal fans will be pleased, and believe me, I enjoy screaming "I am the king of all kiiiiiiiiinnnnnngggggsssss!!!!!" at the top of my lungs along with the "chorus" of the title/opening track as much as the next guy. But this one doesn't crush my soul, it merely shreds my eardrums to pieces. This is chaotic, frenzied death metal mayhem, just as you expected. But it's just that: just what you expected, and that's only good for 3 skulls in my book at this point in time. I think I like Jared Anderson's Internecine project better.
"Then I heard the record. Verdict? It's OK."
Hel's Review:
It's been awhile since we'd seen anything new from Hate Eternal, so when I heard this record was coming out, I was beside myself with excitement. When I finally had it in hand, and listened to it for the first time, I felt a little disappointed. The odd thing was, I was disappointed because it sounded just like I expected it to. I guess I had decided that for some reason, since some time has passed, that would equal rejuvenation in the Hate Eternal camp.
"I was disappointed because it sounded just like I expected it to."
"It is a fun listen, even if it does not succeed in fully setting you on your ass." But really, there's nothing wrong with the record. The vocals are a little buried by the mix, which makes them even more unintelligible, the drumming is so blindingly fast as to border on monotonous, and the guitar work is blazingly fast and simply stellar. In terms of technical ability, the album is great. I can't put my finger on any one thing that's wrong with it, but King of all Kings falls somewhat flat, nonetheless.
I would encourage people to give this album a chance. It is a fun listen, even if it does not succeed in fully setting you on your ass. Some death metal fanatics may disparage this record, but screw 'em, this album provides brutal, ultra fast paced death metal. And while it may have not been everything that I had built it up to be in my mind, it's fine by me.
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