Monday, January 28, 2013

ITP V.012 REVIEW: HATE ETERNAL: PHOENIX AMONGST THE ASHES



BAND: HATE ETERNAL (Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA) GENRE: DEATH METAL RECORD LABEL: METAL BLADE RECORDS RELEASE DATE: 5/10/2011

PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG): FURY AND FLAMES (2008-METAL BLADE RECORDS), THE PERILOUS FIGHT (DVD-2006-EARACHE RECORDS), I, MONARCH (2005-EARACHE RECORDS), KING OF ALL KINGS (2002-EARACHE RECORDS), CONQUERING THE THRONE (1999-WICKED WORLD RECORDS), ENGULFED IN GRIEF (SPLIT PROMO-1997-HATE ETERNAL/ALAS-SELF RELEASED)

BEST RELEASE(s): CONQUERING THE THRONE (1999), KING OF ALL KINGS(2002)

TRACKLISTING: HATE ETERNAL: PHOENIX AMONGST THE ASHES:
01. Rebirth
02. The Eternal Ruler
03. Thorns Of Acacia
04. Haunting Abound
05. The Art Of Redemption
06. Phoenix Amongst The Ashes
07. Deathveil
08. Hatesworn
09. Lake Ablaze
10. The Fire Of Resurrection

ITP RATING: *** 1/2
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING: *** 1/2
PERFORMANCE: ****






Founded in 1997 by former MORBID ANGEL/RIPPING CORPSE guitarist ERIK RUTAN, HATE ETERNAL, are a Florida based death metal trio, a side project to Rutans career with legendary Florida death metal veterans MORBID ANGEL. HATE ETERNAL's originally lineup featured TIM YEUNG (drums) DOUG CERRITO (SUFFOCATION-guitarist), JARED ANDERSON (MORBID ANGEL bass).

ERIK RUTAN's exit from Florida death metal pioneers MORBID ANGEL (2001) proved bigger dividens and allowed more time for HATE ETERNAL and production credits. In 2003, (EX MORBID ANGEL) HATE ETERNAL vocalist/bassist Jared Anderson left the band in part due to his struggle with substance abuse and died 10/14/2006 in his sleep as his cause of death wasn't confirmed. RANDY PIRO stepped in for HATE ETERNAL on bass as DYING FETUS drummer DEREK RODDY filled in for TIM YEUNG during HATE ETERNAL touring commitments.

In 2006, DEREK RODDY announced his departure from HATE ETERNAL as KEVIN TALLEY (DYING FETUS) took a transitional role for HATE ETERNAL on drums.

HATE ETERNAL have been a trio for some time now featuring ERIK RUTAN (vocals/ guitars),Jade Simonetto (drums) and J.J. Hrubovcak (bass).

HATE ETERNAL leader ERIK RUTAN is also a well known extreme metal producer working with such well know acts as GOATWHORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, NILE, MASSACRE, SIX FEET UNDER, ANNOTATIONS OF AN AUTOPSY, VITAL REMAINS and many more. RUTAN is known for a clean, "punch in the face" production favoring guitarists.

Here at ITP V.012 we have HATE ETERNAL's latest release (2011) "PHOENIX AMONGST THE ASHES" on deck for review.

HATE ETERNAL's "PHOENIX AMONGST THE ASHES" kicks off with the track "Rebirth". HATE ETERNAL's "Rebirth" opens with an ominous, sludgy intro straight into blast beat, death grind oblivion. "Rebirth" offers up a melodic, syncopated rhythm guitar with crushing brutality, barking death and screamed vocals and a quality solo."Rebirth" is played tight, with conviction.

HATE ETERNAL's "The Eternal Ruler" is more blast beat death brutality with similar rhythm guitar concepts and metal core chanting. HATE ETERNAL's "The Eternal Ruler" should illicit a monstrous pit, a facebreaker..

HATE ETERNAL's "Thorns Of Acacia" is an awesome accessible death metal Juggernaut, with a catchy, dare I say it "chorus" and exquisite musicianship. \m/ \m/

HATE ETERNAL's "Haunting Abound" features more variety in drumming and rhythm guitar, a far more mid paced tune with dissonant, chugging guitar, quality solos and thrash rhythm concepts. Interesting.

HATE ETERNAL's "The Art Of Redemption" is shred-tastic as the tune kicks off with some awesome, technical guitar SHRED courtesy of ERIK RUTAN. HATE ETERNAL's "The Art Of Redemption" blasts off into sick ass death metal brutality. HATE ETERNAL's "The Art Of Redemption" features awesome double tracked guitar soloing (3:08) as the guitar solo production (ERIK RUTAN guitar AND production) mimicks dual guitars.

The title track of HATE ETERNAL's "Phoenix Amongst The Ashes" kicks off with tight and melodic rhythm guitars, the usual relentless blast beats as the tune breaks down into a back and forth of choppier guitar rhythms and free flowing thrash grooves with shredding solos.

HATE ETERNAL's "Deathveil" kicks off with synchopated, twisted guitar concepts. HATE ETERNAL's "Deathveil" invokes some twisted musicanship, perhaps for best "riff" of 2011. HATE ETERNAL's "Deathveil" invokes a twangy ( 1:13 ) tremolo guitar for a lighter note in the brutality, amazing and memorable for the genius guitar concept ERIK RUTAN inspires. ERIK RUTAN's ungodly shred, and genius guitar interplay or "twang" on "Deathveil" is worth the price of this release within itself.

HATE ETERNAL's "Hatesworn" with it's scream along chanted chorus invokes a mid pace, dark brutality "HATE-SWORN, HATE SWORN, HAAAAAAATE"..\m \m/

HATE ETERNAL's "Lake Ablaze" features some punkier, edgier rhythm guitar interplay, very unique to extreme metal with tribal drum rhythms for a mesmerizing, almost psychedelic feel.

HATE ETERNAL's "Phoenix Amongst The Ashes" closes with the track "The Fire Of Resurrection", a mid paced tune, simplistic with a groovier, melodic rhythm guitar interplay as the song closes with military drumming and great solos.

In all honestly, quality production and balls out inventive shred would be the only guarantee expectation from HATE ETERNAL. I'm usually a sour puss when it comes to extreme metal trios.      I figure the simpler the music, the more a rock/hard rock or metal trio communicates (MELVINS, BLUE CHEER, NIRVANA).

The last time I saw HATE ETERNAL perform live (2003), when ERIK RUTAN took a solo, the bottom dropped out the brutal/death/thrash rhythm (guitars) and left me unimpressed. I figure ERIK RUTAN is a quality producer/guitarist whom can double track rhythm and lead guitars for a fuller, practically four or five piece sound.

Studio gimmicks aside, ERIK RUTAN shreds with some unorthodox, mind blowing guitar rhythms as that indeed demands the listeners engagement. HATE ETERNAL's Jade Simonetto's solid drumming pummels like he threw bricks to your mirrors. Otherwise, the predictable aspect of HATE ETERNAL's blast beat brutality, is nothing new, not for this band, and not for death metal or grind. ERIK RUTAN's production and inventive shred keep it interesting, far more than his former band MORBID ANGEL's latest release.

I just wish HATE ETERNAL were a 4 or 5 piece live.


ITP RATING: *** 1/2
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING: *** 1/2
PERFORMANCE: ****

Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-