Review HATESPHERE “Guillotine”

Back in 2000, Necrosis from Aarhus, Denmark, changed their name to Hatesphere. The band’s general musical direction didn’t change all that much, but Hatesphere have remained a constant presence ever since, regularly delivering new material along the way.

The latest offering from the Danish five-piece is Guillotine, a ten-track album that opens with “Chapter XII.” As the title suggests, this is the band’s twelfth album, and by the time “Dogma” kicks in, there is little doubt about what we’re dealing with: a rough-edged collision of thrash and death metal.

There are no attempts to chase the latest trend here, and certainly no artificially polished version of metal designed to grab attention. Guillotine draws its strength from an old-school approach. The album is angry, restless, and raw, something “Dogma” makes clear from the start before the groove-driven title track keeps the momentum going. Hatesphere aren’t looking over their shoulders to see what the mainstream wants, nor are they trying to fit into whatever happens to be fashionable. This is simply the brute force of metal breaking loose, and fans of bands such as The Haunted should find plenty to enjoy.

Hatesphere can also move fast and stay focused, as “Morbid” demonstrates. The track tears along at full speed, with a few well-placed breaks adding extra tension. The Danes keep their foot firmly on the gas, but “Snake Charmer” takes a different route. It begins in a dark, acoustic setting before the band’s energy suddenly erupts again in one massive riff. Overall, there is more variety lurking beneath the surface than the sheer force of the Hatesphere sound might initially suggest.

The five-piece slow things down on “Bottom Feeder,” but there is no shortage of aggression. The song starts with a midtempo riff that immediately creates a heavy, oppressive feel. It gradually grinds its way out of the speakers, making it a strong counterpoint to the blistering metal assaults that return with the thrash-driven “Human Scum.”

Hatesphere remain a reliable source of well-crafted old-school metal that refuses to bend to whatever trend happens to be passing by. This is a band with a clear musical compass, and they have been following it for more than two decades. Guillotine stays firmly on that course — direct, aggressive, and unapologetically metal.