On disc: Hate Squad

 
 Theater Of Hate
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Katharsis
 
- Lars Bjørn -
 
 

Katharsis

(Massacre Records - 2011)



 
 

 

Burkhard Schmitt and his friends has done it again, 5 albums and several singles and EPs, so why not release the 6th full-length CD while they are in the flow. 15 songs where they do competent and raw trash metal with hints of melodic heavy rock. When they introduced themselves in 1993 the thrash scene was in awe of this new band Hate Squad, and the band still got the grip. Melodic humoristic songs that satisfies both hardcore trash fans and metal fans in general. Rock on, their new piece of thrash metal have 3 intros with soft and melodic acoustic guitars before their real hard songs start, Every Second Counts is full of hard melodic metal rock and shows their qualities, Your Rotten Life is more kicks in every direction, real Hate Squad thrash metal at its best. Kill gets the raw voice Burkhard Schmitt to the best showings, this melodic thrash is blessed with a voice that is not only growling away but puts lots of feeling into the songs. Vicious Assault is more brutal in the creation but is welcome on the album to give the fist attitude. Splendid album that shows another side of thrash metal.






 
 










Lars Bjørn


  
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Theater Of Hate

(G.U.N. Records - 1995)



 
 

 

In April 1993 the Hanover-based band Hate Squad was founded by singer Burkhard Schmitt and drummer Helge Dolgener. It just took a few weeks and the line-up was completed. Only 3 months later 5 songs were recorded by Hate Squad at a studio in Hanover. In September 1993 a demo was released under the name Theater Of Hate. The critics were fantastic and they sold more then 2,000 copies. That got them offers from several labels and they signed with G.U.N. Records. Now 1 ½ year after the founding their debut get into the stores.

With Cause And Effect they start straight away. Thrashy guitars, fast drumming and pounding bass are the foundation for the deep vocals - almost growls - of Burkhard Schmitt. The powerful choires added to the music remind me of some power metal acts. The vocals are what makes them more extreme and gives them a death metal appeal. The guitar solo is neo-classical influences. The second song Self-Defence (Is No Offence) starts fast, but soon slows down a little. A heavy groove dominates this one. Heavy guitar riffing. This is like a more extreme version of some thrash metal classic. The bands roots seems to be thrash and speed metal bands... Some stuff like Kreator, Slayer, Anthrax, Forbidden... But electronic-changed vocals - clean vocals - give this one a modern touch. On Love/Hate is a part were Burkhard almost sings, a short doomy part. Remind me of Type'0 Negative.... Remind me of Pete Steele.... Here the band work with breaks, technically well done. The title track starts with some noises, then someone curses. Starts a little disharmonic with a staccato guitar riffing, speeds up. Up-tempo with intense grunts. A contrast built the party used clean vocals which sound like coming through a megaphone. This song presents the album quite good. It has all elements of the Hate Squad sound. Or check out Bastards, an almost catchy one, but still heavy. A little different is Mindloss. Groovy, but after a break more extreme. Musically this is also interesting for power metal and thrash metal fans, if you can deal with the grunts and growls. But I should mention that singer Burkhard isn't that extreme, if you listen carefully you can almost understand every word.

Well done, guys!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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