Trench Warfare – Hatred Prayer (2019)
USA
Transcending Obscurity Records
For some reason, Trench Warfare's "Hatred Prayer" flew under my radar last year and I am absolutely kicking myself for it. The album was released in 2019 by Transcending Obscurity Records; a renowned label from India with a reputation for putting out killer stuff. From beginning to end, "Hatred Prayer" is a tour de force and shows the band execute fast, raw and relentless death metal in the vein of heavyweights like Rebaelliun, Perdition Temple, and Nocturnal Vomit. The music is absolutely crushing, with a vocalist belching out furious barks, backed by a salvo of sick riffs and maniacal solos that attacks the senses with maximum ferocity. The drums are fast-paced and well balanced in the mix, retaining a certain rawness, paired with a sharp, throbbing bass that makes for an emphatically heavy sound. Numbers like 'New Lord' shows their capacity for slower segments; however, the focal strength of the band is without a doubt their knack for fast and bludgeoning songs filled with over-the-top aggression. The band also has a predisposition for substance and atmosphere, which is one of the reasons for why this album is so enjoyable. "Hatred Prayer" is like a palette of multiple death metal styles merged into one, and it works surprisingly well. Essentially, this is a death metal record that often borders on war metal due to the high-octane and aggressive nature of the music. Songs like 'Axiom' and 'Blood Cleansing' perfectly demonstrates what the band is about. Overall, the music is fairly straight-forward in its delivery, but executed with a lot of depth. If you have a penchant for militant and bestial death metal, then definitely check it out. A highlight from 2019. (HT)