Conquering the Throne

Hate Eternal: Erik Rutan (vocals, guitar); Doug Cerrito (guitar); Jared Anderson (bass); Tim Young (drums).
Although Hate Eternal's Wicked World debut, Conquering the Throne, came out in 1999, it sounds like it could have been recorded ten years earlier. That's because the material is by-the-book grindcore/death metal and has all of that genre's late-'80s trademarks -- relentlessly fast tempos, a lack of melody, a fascination with evil and the occult, and a twisted, choking, larynx-destroying vocal style that doesn't allow the listener to make out many of the lyrics. This CD breaks no new ground for grindcore, and blistering, mosh pit-friendly tunes like "The Creed of Chaotic Divinity," "Sacrilege of Hate" and "Nailed to Obscurity" are interchangeable. But despite its obvious limitations, Conquering the Throne is enjoyable and exhilarating in its own way. The album is quite predictable and not very distinctive, yet it's easy to get into if you have a taste for grindcore and death metal and are in the mood for naked, unmitigated aggression. ~ Alex Henderson