Hateforce delivers an absolutely crushing experience with their latest release, blending elements of sludge, doom, and death metal into a dense, suffocating wall of sound. Right out the gate, the band makes a strong impression with their sludgy, doom-laden approach, but they also manage to shake things up with stylistic injections from other metal subgenres. The first half of the album is especially engaging, as they infuse thrash metal energy into "Descending Down," hardcore aggression into "Total Violence," and death metal brutality into "Hateful Creator." These genre shifts, combined with their deep, murky production, make the opening stretch feel fresh and unpredictable.
However, as the album progresses, Hateforce begins to fall victim to their own formula. By the second half, the songs start to blend together, with repetitive structures and an over-reliance on familiar tropes from the heavier side of metal. The riffs and basslines, initially thick and impactful, start to feel less inspired, losing the intrigue that made the first half so gripping. The drums, while undoubtedly fast and punishing, often come across as monotonous, lacking the dynamism needed to keep things engaging throughout.
That being said, the band does have some standout strengths. The bass, for example, is absolutely filthy in the best way possible. Tuned so low that it practically rumbles through your chest, it adds an overwhelming weight to the music, making every track feel dense and oppressive. In fact, the bass tone might be the biggest highlight of the entire record. When the band locks into a tight groove—when the deep, pounding drums sync up perfectly with the razor-sharp guitar chugs—there are moments of pure heaviness that feel undeniably satisfying. The drums themselves have a cavernous, deep sound, and the way they play with the cymbals is particularly interesting, though it’s a technique that could have been explored more frequently.
The vocals, while powerful in their projection, are buried in the mix to the point where they often feel like a background element rather than a driving force. While this adds to the suffocating atmosphere, a little more presence in the mix could have helped the vocal performance stand out more. Still, the raw intensity of the delivery, combined with the guttural depth, gives Hateforce a uniquely punishing sound.
One area where the band does excel is in creating a deeply oppressive and unsettling atmosphere. The production is dialed in for maximum heaviness, with a dark, almost suffocating mix that enhances the album’s bleak tone. The use of eerie sound clips—such as police sirens and other anxiety-inducing noises—adds an extra layer of tension, making the album feel even more suffocating. Tracks like "Deformed" suffer from overly long runtimes, which sometimes bog down the pacing, but the band’s ability to create an almost apocalyptic atmosphere keeps things from becoming completely stale.
Overall, Hateforce is a band with massive potential. They have moments of absolute brilliance—especially when they lean into their genre-blending tendencies and create suffocating, groove-heavy breakdowns—but they also fall into the trap of sounding generic at times. If they can tighten their songwriting and push further into the elements that make them stand out, their future releases could be truly devastating. As it stands, this album is a solid but flawed effort, showing glimpses of greatness that unfortunately get lost in death metal tropes we've heard before.