Burning Hatred - Carnage

BURNING HATRED - Carnage (VIC Records CD 2016)

Let's start from the end... Burning Hatred is no more. The band split up few months ago, after more than decade of their death metal crusade. It's a shame, I suppose, especially because they only just released their debut album "Carnage" (through VIC Records in 2016). But lack of time, activity in other bands and family responsibilities forced this difficult decision. Well, life sucks, but "death metal never dies", as Burning Hatred t-shirts say. And at least they managed to record this album. And I have to say that I quite enjoyed "Carnage", it's pretty fuckin solid album. Maybe not the most spectacular and thrilling death metal I've ever heard, but a worthy and enjoyable piece of brutality for sure. 

What characterises Burning Hatred sound is that epic, brutal style, with quite slow, sometimes almost marching tempo and groovy, heavy riffage spiced with some melodic leads here and there. When I started to listen to this album, I immediately started to think of bands such as Grave, Bolt Thrower, Obituary, Six Feet Under, Hail of Bullets, even Gorefest from their good, old days. So, it's old school to the bone shit! The songwriting is solid, definitely. Burning Hatred presents some very good songs on "Carnage", I enjoyed many riffs from this album, I loved all these melodic patterns especially, because they sound so insanely Swedish - and that is always my G-spot. I like that nasty, vicious feeling also, that sick, gory atmosphere...   

Nevertheless, as solid as "Carnage" sounds, I can't shake off the feeling that it's rather mediocre album. I like to listen to it, I enjoy it, but at the same time I just know that it misses something and there are too many better death metal releases nowadays. Hmm, maybe it's because these songs become quite monotonous after a while and it all gets blurry. There's the same tempo, same kind of riffs, so the vocals are also quite one dimensional... everything sounds the same to me. Of course I have my favourites, I have my best moments and songs, like "Reign of Terror", "Religious Insanity", "Doomed City" or "March Towards Death". 

It's worth mentioning also the lyrics, which deal with various important historical facts, one of which is the Katyn massacre of Polish officers by the Soviets. Nice to see even Dutch bands knowing about this tragic event. 

Standout tracks: "Reign of Terror", "Religious Insanity", "Doomed City", "March Towards Death" 

Verdict: 65/100