Despite a career stretching back to around 1993, and recordings from only a couple of years later, this is the first time the name Handful Of Hate has crossed my horizons, let alone heard them. But with Code 666 backing them you are kind of forced to sit up and take notice.
One thing is plain from the first notes is that these Italians don’t fuck around: Full force blasting utterly flattens you and the production is a bright, very sharp and modern explosion. Within those same moments though one of my pet hates hits me too. The drum sound is flat and hard and has that relentless hammer on a tin box sound that demolishes any bass and smothers the rhythm into a continual beat. Could be over-triggering, could be the production, I don’t know but it grates. But I’ve overcome that before. Having said all that I already think fans of early 1349, Anaal Nathrakh and the black metal hyperblast sound wouldn’t give a fuck about that and they really should just go out and buy this already. It’s brash, confident and sounds more like a hungry bunch of young warriors than twenty year grizzled veterans.
‘To Perdition ‘ barrels straight in to ‘Cursed Be Your Breast ‘ with the same malice, speed and snarl. At times the high keening guitar melody reminds you of the attack of current Anaal Nathrakh just without a sign of clean vocals. The band is really tight, stop-start sections and time shifts handled well and there is no holding back whatsoever. What you get with Handful Of Hate is unrelenting, remorseless power and attack. Eleven assaults, and around 45 minutes of it.
The problem for me though is by track six ‘Larvae’ my ears have been bludgeoned into intensive care and my brain is wandering badly. It’s like being full face into a raging storm, one continual and violent howl blasting through me. I’m picking out bits of songs rather than songs themselves, snippets in this huge, great scream. Frankly it’s all a bit too much, a bit too much the same. Instead of hooks that stay, it’s more that Hellraiser moment of all the hooks at once pulling you to shreds and nothing left for the next attack, which is full tilt attack again.
As I say though: commendably hungry, hugely powerful sound and those who are gleeful slaves to the blast may want to just dive in. And if it’s still available there is an amazing looking handmade ‘Torture Box’ edition (check out their Facebook page, link below). For me though I have to pass this as having too few features within the wall of noise to hold my attention. Sorry, as their spirit is superb just my flesh is weak. Just not my thing I guess.
(6/10 Gizmo)
https://www.facebook.com/handfulofhateofficial
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