If you're
looking for the proverbial kick in the gut, look no further. A new HateSphere
album will hit the streets in a few days, and it won't disappoint!
'The Great Bludgeoning' combines all the forces from the previous albums: the characteristic HateSphere break-downs, a bit of hardcore, a bit of Pantera, a
lot of good old thrash metal, a touch of death metal, a couple of rocking parts,
an acoustic surprise and lots of full-on groove.
When a new front man is introduced on disc for the first time, it's interesting
to see how well he does the job. Bredahl was a fabulous front man, on stage a
force to be reckoned with. Joller had a different kind of youthful power, and in
some ways probably a better singer than Bredahl.
Physically, Esse doesn't represent the force and might his predecessors did, but
don't let that fool you. When it comes to versatility, the man has even more on
offer. Stylistically, he's probably more Bredahl than Joller, but he's
definitely got his own voice in there as well - and I have a feeling he could
actually do even more interesting things than he shows on 'The Great Bludgeoning'. Let's see on the next
release!
Conclusion: Despite the multiple line-up changes over the past couple of years,
the beast that goes under the name HateSphere is still very much alive and ready
to rip it up. Give it a listen!
