Customer Reviews

Fury And Flames

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In the three years that have passed since Hate Eternal dropped their junior effort, "I, Monarch," frontman Erik Rutan has recruited an entirely new lineup for his Florida-based quartet (the bassist and drummer positions were both replaced, and a second guitarist has also been tapped for the first time). Plus, Rutan also lost a close friend and former bandmate in Jared Anderson, who died in his sleep of an unspecified cause in October, 2006. As a result of these two things, Hate Eternal's music has also changed dramatically. Thus, if you thought they would continue on the experimental path that they started down on that 2005 release, then you will be completely blown away by the new record. (But don't feel too bad; it was a total surprise for me, too.)

This year's aptly titled "Fury and Flames" abides by one simple, all-encompassing policy: unbelievably brutal, merciless, and smoldering death metal devastation that's usually played at breakneck, grindcore-worthy speeds. The songs don't stray from the same formula very much, so instead of ever losing their focus, they choose to just keep bludgeoning and suffocating you, even long after you are convinced brain damage has occurred. Lyrically, Rutan tackles all of his usual subjects, including religion and war, but he was also inspired by Anderson's passing, so he channeled a lot of his emotions from that (i.e. grief, frustration, and anger) into his band's music. And it shows - this new material overflows with an inescapable, palpable feeling of raw desperation and urgency.

That's not to say that the album gets by just on volume, though. Yes, it is an immensely intense freaking monster, but there's a lot more to it than that. The guitar riffing is as excellent, blistering, and precise as usual, and the addition of former Ripping Corpse guitarist Shaune Kelley really helps to beef up Hate Eternal's sound and make it even more awesome (who'da thunk that was possible?!). Elsewhere, the newfound skinsman, Jade Simonetto, may still be relatively unknown, but he has already proven himself to be quite amazing, and able to blast with the best of them. Finally, bassist Alex Webster (of Cannibal Corpse fame) is a true virtuoso of his instrument; he lays down some of the best and most technical and interesting bass lines in the history of death metal! All these things considered, it should now be clear that "FaF" is a very epic, meticulous, intricate, and well-written album with plenty of nooks and crannies, and one that will likely require more than one listen to absorb fully.

Ten songs are represented here, and many of them are vicious, skull-shattering, throat-ripping onslaughts. The set opener, "Hell Envenom," is but one such example. Here, Rutan's evil, full-bodied growls are laid over a deluge of massive riffage, and thunderous, hyper-kinetic blast beats. The only time the song opens up and allows for a little breathing room is near the end, when a nicely clean guitar solo is tucked in amid the rapid-fire chaos. But as you work your way through the rest of the album, a more nuanced side of it becomes apparent. "Whom Gods May Destroy" is a frantic, disorienting freak-out that sounds like everybody in the band is soloing at the same time; and despite being packed with a ton of mind-numbing heaviness, "Bringer of Storms" is a concertedly more groove-oriented track, and features a wealth of tasty guitar crunch and strong, humming bass lines. Elsewhere, "Fury Within" is kind of a "math-y" tune, and is highlighted by weird (yet somehow still catchy), stop-start chords and airtight blasting; and "Tombeau (Le Tombeau de la Fureur et des Flammes)" which is dedicated to Jared Anderson, boasts an epic, lengthy, winding melodic solo section and more noteworthy bass work. Hate Eternal conclude "Fury and Flames" with its sole experimental number, "Coronach," an ominously peaceful piece with guest vocals from Katy Decker, but not before dropping a handful of other furiously crushing, earth-scorching speedsters (i.e. "Funerary March" and "Thus Salvation") that rip from start to finish and will make the listener struggle to retain consciousness.

In all fairness, it would be a bit of a stretch to say "Fury and Flames" breaks much new ground. Plus, some of the tracks blend together, even after giving them repeat listens. With that said, you'll be hard pressed to name any other brutal technical death metal album that's stronger than this one (and if you can think of one, I would be dying to know what it is!). Hence, nothing should prevent anyone who has a serious taste or craving for the genre from making "Fury and Flames" an absolute must hear. It is a fairly unique, instinctively satisfying, eminently memorable, and all-around top-notch slab of extremity. And, as of this typing, this is the one to beat in order to be crowned the best metal release of 2008.

Hate Eternal provide yet another dose of unforgiving, head-crushing blastbeats and technically heavy riffs that is usually delivered at breakneck speed. While nothing groundbreaking occurs on Fury & Flames it still manages to blast the listener into utter oblivion pushing death metal to it's limits, the songs on this album are well executed and despite the fact that some songs sound similar it still shows that Hate Eternal are one of the best death metal/grindcore groups out there. Just like in their previous album I, Monarch, Hate Eternal have showed a bit of diversity and craftsmanship even though it does take a bit of time to get use to it. There are songs like Para Bellum and Bringer of storms which changes tempo halfway through that showcase the great technical sound and terrific riffs courtesy of Eric Rutan who previously played in bands like Ripping Corpse and Morbid Angel, other songs like the slow instrumental Coronach was brilliant as well as the great and memorable Thus Salvation and opening track Hell Envenom with its constant growling by vocalist and guitar player Shaune Kelly. The production wasn't really that bad it just seems like the bass was a bit too low but that problem is typical from Hate Eternal who had the same problem on their previous albums, anyway if you're a Hate Eternal fan then you should definitely get this.

I'm gonna keep this review short for those first-time listeners. If you want extremely heavy death metal with enough bass and blastbeats that'll put your head in a whirlwind, and guitars dizzying enough to induce seizures, then this is for you. If you're looking for sweet, subtle, "made for mtv" material, then this isn't for you. This is "so ugly it's beautiful," uncompromising death metal. For the perfect pair, get this and I, Monarch.

For those complaining about the sound quality, tone down your bass and you might actually hear the music.

Has Anybody seen the music video for Bringer of storms, if you are not drawn towards the flame you might as well go watch the teletubbies

Rutan is now the man. I never thought the mighty Morbid Angel could be passed as the greatest Death Metal band on the planet....but Rutan has done it with this Hate Eternal release. The production courtesy of the man himself along with the songwriting is going to be near impossible to outdue, unless it's future Hate Eternal CD's.....My hats off to the man, and the torch has now been officially passed and the bar raised.

On the brutal 'tone' scale, also check the new Skinlab SkinnedAlive live CD....I have never heard such brutal live guitar tones, that thing is incredible....highly recomended!

The musicianship and intensity of Hate Eternal's latest offering make this an absolutely must-have CD. The new drummer, Jade Simonetto, is fantastic! Alex Webster is form another world. This is a guitar-heavy, riff-pounding, blast-beating monster that will grab your attention. What elevates this album to a higher level; however, is the emotional intensity of the music and lyrics. Erik Rutan has channeled his rage, frustration, grief and loss into a powerful emotional force. The most intense track and the one that grabbed me on my first listen is "Tombeau (Le Tombeau De La Fureur et Des Flames)". This is not only a musically interesting and well-crafted song; it is also the emotional heart of the album (IMO). I cannot wait to see Hate Eternal live in a few weeks!! For fans of Hate Eternal, this is a must CD; for newcomers to this band, start here and work backwards to "I, Monarch", etc. and you will be well-rewarded. Well done Rutan and thanks for this dark gem!

Utterly amazing album. The new drummer HAS to be an octopus, jaw-dropping performance. Songs are incredibly fast and crushingly heavy. Easily Hate Eternal's best album to date.

so there i was, on my way in a compact rental to see Hate Eternal headline. i had brought along 3 HE cds to soundtrack the various traffic-jams with. sometimes it takes listening to the familiar in an unfamiliar context to better appreciate aspects o' the recording. thankfully there was enough stop-n-go en route through the various autobahn construction sites for me to focus more fully on the sonic maelstrom that is 'F&F'. i've long known that this particular album was a tad difficult in terms o' deciding which songs to upload to my i-pod (i RARELY do a full album), but it wasn't really until that drive that it dawned on me why...hell, even grind bands slow it down at points !

'F&F' represents some o' the absolute best chaos in xtreme death. the energy hardly once lets up, displaying all the subtelty o' a massive spike-encrusted steam-roller. if anything it is precisely this no-holds-barred approach which pushes this album towards an authentic singularity; so intense that it chews up and spits out most other modern xtreme death metal offerings. yes, perhaps the new drummer does not showcase the inspired variety o' '1-take roddy', but that's not necessarily a liability here. if nothing else, it's the near constant break-neck pummeling here which helps make this particular HE offering so unique

let's be honest, xtreme death has very few serious practitioners; and even fewer successes - however i believe this album is one o' them. it has been criticized for being a tad...'monochromatic'; but considering the events which most likely mid-wifed this brutal masterpiece, that may be an unfair assessment. while some may argue that it isn't one o' Hate Eternal's best, it IS definitely one o' the best xtreme death albums o' all time - it IS called 'xtreme' for a reason folks !

What can I say, Hate Eternal amazed me with their last release "I, Monarch", and did so with this one, they have not let up one bit, this album is heavy as hell.

I hear some complaints about the production, some say that it's too distorted, I say not, the production just makes this album even heavier than it already is, everything is crisp, the vocals, guitars, bass, drums.

The album starts with one of the best tracks on the album "Hell Envenom" once I heard this song, I knew this album would destroy all in it's path, Rutans vocals are awesome, and you can understand him, which makes it even better!

"Whom Gods May Destroy" This song is almost the name of an old Star Trek episode "Whom Gods Destroy" I wonder...anyways, this song continues down the same path, the chorus is catchy as hell too.

"Para Bellum" Is another favorite of mine, it's catchy, fast, and heavy, and the chorus rules.

"Bringer of Storms" Another killer track, probably my 2nd favorite from the album, has some nice slow parts, but not to worry, it sure speeds up!

I might add that I am very picky with modern Death Metal, so it's mighty hard to impress me, and this did, if you like this, you should get the album that came before it as well "I, Monarch"

Happy headbanging!

The problem people may have with very technical and layered music such as this, is that the brain cannot "grasp" what is going on until you listen several times through the album (or any similar album). This is true with any band which plays with complexity. Some CDs on first listen I really hated, until I listened again and again, and they ended up usually becoming favorites. It's a natural reaction when the brain cannot absord all that is going on, and it tends to sound repetitive and boring. Given a chance however, you will start to hear the brilliance as the wall of sound is broken down and analyzed more and more. This line-up of Hate Eternal will just get stronger and more impressive as time goes on, and as Shaune Kelley contributes more and more to the song writing (he is the hook and riff-master). In summary, you cannot just give it a couple casual listens to judge it... because of the nature of complex layered music in general. Overall this is brutal death metal at its finest.