Hatewave

Angry, speed-obsessed death metal/grindcore is what to expect from this album, Hatewave's only official release before breaking up. The goal here is to be as relentless and over the top as possible, in the tradition of such bands as Krisiun, Marduk, (early) Slayer, and (getting more obscure but closer to Hatewave's sound) Sadistik Exekution or Bestial Warlust. The lyrics — about killing sprees, Satan, Armageddon, etc. — and the samples of explosions, gunshots, and orgasm noises help drive home this overall point (occasionally a tad self-consciously). But, the group's main weapon is Weasel Walter's machine gun-like drumming, which creates a maniacal feeling of intensity at times and keeps things afloat even when the guitar riffs get a little standard or nondescript. Most of the songs are actually pretty memorable, though, with some even qualifying as catchy ("Violencium" in particular) and others as fairly innovative or unusual for death metal — e.g., "Hate Crime Spree," with its rapid stop-start movements, and (don't blush, now) "Cock vs. C**t," which has an extended death metal-meets-free jazz sort of intro. Still, those looking for something totally out of the ordinary or experimental based on the group's outsider pedigree might be slightly let down. Again, this album's aim is more straightforward — to create some blasting, cathartic grind/metal music — and in that respect this album is a winner.