Friendship

HATRED SOUTHERN LORD JAPAN’S SHADOWY NOISE OUTFIT FIND MULTIPLE WAYS TO MANGLE

Very little is known about this quartet of powerviolence purveyors beyond the fact they hail from Chiba prefecture in western Japan, have two previous EPs in their discography and really enjoy their privacy. No names, no Facebook, and promo photos are of their gear set-up. All this would be something to brush aside as obnoxious posturing were they not so blindingly awesome. Hatred is an unrelentingly vicious piece of work. Whether churning out lightspeed grind teetering on the brink, punishing with slow doom or grinding ear drums with peals and squeals of unconscionable noise, the goal is devastation and brutality. And that mission is accomplished with Rejected and Tortures spanning the tempo and density continuum while Compton and Life Sentence demonstrate how catchiness and groove can find a happy home where sonic misanthropy is prized and cherished.

FOR FANS OF: MAN IS THE BASTARD, THE ENDLESS BLOCKADE, CORRUPTED

CONNIE GORDON