Label - Gruesome Records
Release Date- 25 February 2022
Words- Chris Fletcher
With the amount of good quality music that is permeating the death metal scene at the moment, it could be said to be a sort of ‘golden age’, and it is this term that Brood of Hatred, a one man Tunisian death metal project, have chosen to entitle their third full length record. Although the roots of this project are undoubtedly in the death metal camp, there’s a lot of progressive, even avant-garde song writing here that should keep fans of bands like Ulcerate happy for the duration.
It is this duality of the harsh death metal foundations co-existing with the more uplifting progressive elements that really characterise this record. Clean guitar lines layered on top of blast beats and rhythmic distorted guitar riffs, which are exhibited right out the gate on album opener ‘God Over Demons’, set the stall out early and let you know what you are in for.
Elsewhere on the album ‘Genesis’ opens with a Gojira style riff that underpins the track whilst the title track begins with an electronic intro reminiscent of a spooky carnival before the guitars come in and flatten the place to the ground. ‘The Mask of Death’ acts as a descriptor for the record as a whole because whilst it does wear a mask of death metal, there is a lot more going on beneath the surface.
Multi-Instrumentalist behind the project, Muhammed Mêlki, explains that this is an album exploring the concept of growth and that the artwork reflects post-apocalyptic survival. Closing track ‘Astral Projection’ manages to drive this point home, an instrumental outro that embodies these themes by creating a futuristic soundscape that makes you feel like you have arrived at the end of something big.
The main drawback of the record is that for all of the technique and progressive song writing on display, there isn’t too much of a variation in sound throughout the run time. All of the elements present here are executed well and could be said to fit the purpose of the record feeling like a journey, however despite the impressive musicianship on display you can’t help but wish that things felt a bit more dynamic along the way.
That being said, there is certainly enough here to get you interested, and once you allow the album to wash over you a few times and familiarise yourself with the journey it is trying to take you on then this can be a rewarding and uplifting experience. A record certainly worth devoting your time to.
7/10
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