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Cleansing of an Ancient Race (1994)
Abyssic Hate had quite the following in the black metal underground, some years back. Unfortunately, each promise of a new album has been broken over the course of the past twelve years or so. Surely, this may have something to do with why one hears this band's name less and less, compared to just five or six years back. Shane Rout's musical contributions began nearly twenty years ago and, though his work was hardly that unique, he did well for himself with the few releases that were spawned from those early years. The first Abyssic Hate demo, Cleansing of an Ancient Race, established a sound that was based on the Norwegian style of black metal. Of course, in 1994, this was hardly an isolated thing. Countless bands were ripping off the likes of Darkthrone and Burzum, and Abyssic Hate was no different.
Featuring six proper songs, this demo lasts just under half an hour. Most of the songs consist of tremolo melodies and fast drumming, fitting well alongside albums such as Under A Funeral Moon and Transilvanian Hunger. The fuzzy guitar sound really hearkens back to the former, in a way. However, Abyssic Hate was not simply paying homage to the early recordings of Nocturno Culto, Fenriz and Zephyrous (can't forget him). There are hints of Burzum to be found, here and there. Obviously, as this was recorded prior to the release of Filosofem, that influence is not present and all-consuming as it would be on Suicidal Emotions. Still, some of the riffs are reminiscent of early Burzum. The same can be said for the drumming, with some primitive use of double bass underneath the mournful and repetitious melodies. The tempo is not the same throughout, as there are plenty of mid-paced and slower parts to be heard. Naturally, if you just pop the CD in and skip from one to the next, only previewing the first few seconds, you will get an entirely different impression, as all of the songs begin at a higher speed before shifting in one way or another. The atmosphere given off by this recording is sombre and well-suited for nocturnal blood rituals, particularly those created by the morose closer, "Bloodletting".
For a demo, the sound is pretty good. This is much more clear than the earliest recordings from Gorgoroth, Enslaved or even Varg's demos. The guitars are distorted but yet the production is clear enough for the riffs to be recognized and followed. There is no need for the type of effort that one might have to put into an old Moonblood tape, for example. The drumming is loud enough to be heard, though still fairly buried in the mix. Though it is probably a drum machine, the sound is not so inauthentic as to really distract from the music. As for the vocals, they are similar to those of Nocturno Culto's on Under A Funeral Moon or Quorthon's on Under the Sign of the Black Mark. In fact, on "Damned for Eternity", one can even hear somewhat of an old Bathory influence, though it is more likely that this is because the Darkthrone albums that he worshiped possessed this, rather than any real connection with the originator of the sound.
In the end, Cleansing of an Ancient Race is a solid effort. With one or two more songs, as well as a proper release, this could have easily been a full-length album. Though the obvious Darkthrone-worship is the primary inspiration for this demo, it is done well and Abyssic Hate may have been the only band in Australia that was following the northern black metal sound as opposed to the others that seemed to look more toward the likes of Beherit or Blasphemy. This is probably hard to find in its original form; however, it has been released as part of the A Decade of Hate compilation.
Featuring six proper songs, this demo lasts just under half an hour. Most of the songs consist of tremolo melodies and fast drumming, fitting well alongside albums such as Under A Funeral Moon and Transilvanian Hunger. The fuzzy guitar sound really hearkens back to the former, in a way. However, Abyssic Hate was not simply paying homage to the early recordings of Nocturno Culto, Fenriz and Zephyrous (can't forget him). There are hints of Burzum to be found, here and there. Obviously, as this was recorded prior to the release of Filosofem, that influence is not present and all-consuming as it would be on Suicidal Emotions. Still, some of the riffs are reminiscent of early Burzum. The same can be said for the drumming, with some primitive use of double bass underneath the mournful and repetitious melodies. The tempo is not the same throughout, as there are plenty of mid-paced and slower parts to be heard. Naturally, if you just pop the CD in and skip from one to the next, only previewing the first few seconds, you will get an entirely different impression, as all of the songs begin at a higher speed before shifting in one way or another. The atmosphere given off by this recording is sombre and well-suited for nocturnal blood rituals, particularly those created by the morose closer, "Bloodletting".
For a demo, the sound is pretty good. This is much more clear than the earliest recordings from Gorgoroth, Enslaved or even Varg's demos. The guitars are distorted but yet the production is clear enough for the riffs to be recognized and followed. There is no need for the type of effort that one might have to put into an old Moonblood tape, for example. The drumming is loud enough to be heard, though still fairly buried in the mix. Though it is probably a drum machine, the sound is not so inauthentic as to really distract from the music. As for the vocals, they are similar to those of Nocturno Culto's on Under A Funeral Moon or Quorthon's on Under the Sign of the Black Mark. In fact, on "Damned for Eternity", one can even hear somewhat of an old Bathory influence, though it is more likely that this is because the Darkthrone albums that he worshiped possessed this, rather than any real connection with the originator of the sound.
In the end, Cleansing of an Ancient Race is a solid effort. With one or two more songs, as well as a proper release, this could have easily been a full-length album. Though the obvious Darkthrone-worship is the primary inspiration for this demo, it is done well and Abyssic Hate may have been the only band in Australia that was following the northern black metal sound as opposed to the others that seemed to look more toward the likes of Beherit or Blasphemy. This is probably hard to find in its original form; however, it has been released as part of the A Decade of Hate compilation.
(2 July 2013)
Eternal Damnation (1998)
After a series of demos, Abyssic Hate released the Eternal Damnation E.P. in 1998 through Darker Than Black. It's a solid but uninspired slab of early Darkthrone worship, especially Transilvanian Hunger, but ultimately lacks anything truly memorable.
The opening "Knight of the Living Dead" sets the tone, offering cold, mournful tremolo riffs that are memorable in parts, though the programmed drums don’t add much. The vocals are weak and distant, which undercuts the atmosphere, though the song's progression shows the band is capable of more than just mimicking Darkthrone. "Human Despair" follows the same formula but falls flat with uninteresting riffs and lyrics that border on cringe-worthy, dipping into emo territory with awkward nods to Judeo-Christian themes. "Attack!" is a better example, keeping things straightforward and blasting without the ridiculous double-bass gimmicks that drag down the other tracks.
By the time "The Blood War" rolls around, the formula has worn thin. The lack of strong riffs makes the track feel repetitive, and it doesn’t offer anything new. The final track, an Absurd cover, doesn’t fit well with the rest of the material but provides a slight change of pace, though it doesn’t add much.
Eternal Damnation is a decent E.P. overall, but it’s far from essential. "Knight of the Living Dead" and "Attack!" are the best the band has to offer, but they still lack originality and fail to make much of an impact. However, if you are in the mood for Darkthrone worship, this is one of the better ones.
The opening "Knight of the Living Dead" sets the tone, offering cold, mournful tremolo riffs that are memorable in parts, though the programmed drums don’t add much. The vocals are weak and distant, which undercuts the atmosphere, though the song's progression shows the band is capable of more than just mimicking Darkthrone. "Human Despair" follows the same formula but falls flat with uninteresting riffs and lyrics that border on cringe-worthy, dipping into emo territory with awkward nods to Judeo-Christian themes. "Attack!" is a better example, keeping things straightforward and blasting without the ridiculous double-bass gimmicks that drag down the other tracks.
By the time "The Blood War" rolls around, the formula has worn thin. The lack of strong riffs makes the track feel repetitive, and it doesn’t offer anything new. The final track, an Absurd cover, doesn’t fit well with the rest of the material but provides a slight change of pace, though it doesn’t add much.
Eternal Damnation is a decent E.P. overall, but it’s far from essential. "Knight of the Living Dead" and "Attack!" are the best the band has to offer, but they still lack originality and fail to make much of an impact. However, if you are in the mood for Darkthrone worship, this is one of the better ones.
(30 Oct. 2011)
Suicidal Emotions (2000)
Abyssic Hate is a solo black metal project from Australia with heavy influence from Burzum, Strid and I Shalt Become. After a string of demos and an E.P., Shane Rout finally released a full-length album. This was released by No Colours Records, in May 2000. As of this writing, it's the only L.P. that this guy has managed to put together. Nonetheless, this single album has made Abyssic Hate very popular, in certain circles, with many still dying for a follow-up. Unfortunately, the only release since then was the compilation, A Decade of Hate, featuring earlier demo material.
Suicidal Emotions consists of four songs, with three of the four clocking in well over ten minutes long. Despite the fuzzy guitars and harsh vocals, the overall sound is not very abrasive at all. Much like the old Strid material, there is a soft tone to everything, so it's clear to see why this has been so accessible. The dark melodies are almost hynotic at times, due to the nature of the repetitious songwriting. Unsurprisingly, the album is full of tremolo and open-arpeggio riffs that would not have been out of place on Burzum's Filosofem. The compositions may run a bit long but they are, generally, just dynamic enough to remain interesting.
The primary weakness of this album, and the most detrimental factor, is the vocal delivery. The vocals are buried in the mix, seeming to be flat and lifeless. It is even possible to ignore the programmed drums, as it isn't really an issue. However, the vocals are sub-par and are incapable of conveying the same sense of melancholy that is imbued in the listener via the guitar melodies. He tries, but effort does not always equal success. This is why one-man bands are often ranked among the average and mediocre, because one person simply cannot do everything and realize his full potential. Despite this, the depressingly epic guitar melodies carry this release.
Suicidal Emotions owes quite a lot to the aforementioned Burzum album and while not as good it is not poorly done by any means. With this release, Abyssic Hate leaned more into so-called 'depressive black metal' territory. Though this is the material that the band is best known for, it is not something that I come back to very often. I would much rather listen to the earlier recordings. If you are more into the Darkthrone-inspired style of Cleansing of an Ancient Race and Eternal Damnation, you may be disappointed with this full-length. However, for those who want to listen to more songs in the vein of Filosofem, this is worth a listen.
Suicidal Emotions consists of four songs, with three of the four clocking in well over ten minutes long. Despite the fuzzy guitars and harsh vocals, the overall sound is not very abrasive at all. Much like the old Strid material, there is a soft tone to everything, so it's clear to see why this has been so accessible. The dark melodies are almost hynotic at times, due to the nature of the repetitious songwriting. Unsurprisingly, the album is full of tremolo and open-arpeggio riffs that would not have been out of place on Burzum's Filosofem. The compositions may run a bit long but they are, generally, just dynamic enough to remain interesting.
The primary weakness of this album, and the most detrimental factor, is the vocal delivery. The vocals are buried in the mix, seeming to be flat and lifeless. It is even possible to ignore the programmed drums, as it isn't really an issue. However, the vocals are sub-par and are incapable of conveying the same sense of melancholy that is imbued in the listener via the guitar melodies. He tries, but effort does not always equal success. This is why one-man bands are often ranked among the average and mediocre, because one person simply cannot do everything and realize his full potential. Despite this, the depressingly epic guitar melodies carry this release.
Suicidal Emotions owes quite a lot to the aforementioned Burzum album and while not as good it is not poorly done by any means. With this release, Abyssic Hate leaned more into so-called 'depressive black metal' territory. Though this is the material that the band is best known for, it is not something that I come back to very often. I would much rather listen to the earlier recordings. If you are more into the Darkthrone-inspired style of Cleansing of an Ancient Race and Eternal Damnation, you may be disappointed with this full-length. However, for those who want to listen to more songs in the vein of Filosofem, this is worth a listen.
(22 Sept. 2009)
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