CoC : Hate Eternal - Conquering the Throne : Review

Hate Eternal - _Conquering the Throne_
(Wicked World, 1999)
by: Paul Schwarz (8.5 out of 10)

I figure any self-respecting death metaller, with ears, must be between mildly upset and utterly devastated at the fact that Suffocation have passed away and seem unlikely to return; I certainly know it is a sore point among many of us CoCers. With this in mind, Hate Eternal, on paper certainly, looks like an answer to your prayers of sorts, for near the core of this project is old Suffocation guitarist Doug Cerrito. Here, he has joined another familiar face, Morbid Angel live guitarist, and a member of the crushing Ripping Corpse back in the day, Eric Rutan. Add the talents of Jared Anderson and Tim Yeung on bass and drums respectively and you complete a fearsome package. _Conquering the Throne_ is the first full-length offering this motley crew have produced, and the overall verdict is definitely positive. There are strong echoes throughout the record of both Morbid Angel and Suffocation, with the complex, spiralling style of the first combining with the to-the-point brutality of the second and creating a straightforward though lively blend of the two, but Hate Eternal is not merely a blend of the members' other musical engagements, previous or otherwise. When the boys get the right mix of crushing brutality, a variety of riffs, and some spirited solos, we get tracks of the likes of "Dogma Condemned" and "Spiritual Holocaust", which are among some of the best death metal songs you'll hear this year. Unfortunately, a few too many tracks here get a little mired in their death metal straightforwardness and there are thus patches of the album which are a little unengaging. Overall, a worthy purchase if your tastes seem to run with the style, but not a release which breaks through all boundaries of individual taste. If you like death metal, this is sure to put a smile on your face; how big that smile is and how long it stays there depends on your personal preference.

(article published 12/10/1999)

CHATS
7/5/2008	J Smit	Hate Eternal: Born of Fire

ALBUMS
2/12/2012	A McKay	10	Hate Eternal - Phoenix Amongst the Ashes
4/15/2008	A McKay	9.5	Hate Eternal - Fury & Flames
6/20/2005	J Smit	8.5	Hate Eternal - I, Monarch
3/16/2003	M Noll	7.5	Hate Eternal - King of All Kings

GIGS
1/25/2004	J Smit	Hate Eternal / Dying Fetus / Deeds of Flesh / Prejudice	Why, Mr Sound Engineer, Why?
10/13/2003	A McKay	Hatebreed / Madball / Hate Eternal / Terror / Cephalic Carnage	Hemp Heaven? No, It's Iowa!
8/12/2000	M Noll	Deicide / Immortal / Cannibal Corpse / Marduk / Vader / Dark Funeral / Hate Eternal / Vomitory	There's No Mercy in Satan's Oven