PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
This unique offering released via Morbid Skull Records called “Coalition of Death” is a great idea: two small bands sharing the costs of making a record by splitting it into two separate halves. I must say this is very refreshing and enjoyable. I hope this split release idea catches on.The two bands on this one are El Salvador’s Conceived By Hate and Colombian metallers Akheron. Each provides four neat thrashy death metal tracks and both show off some serious skill.
Conceived By Hate have the opening honours with “Devotees of Death” and it is a mission statement of an opener ! Rooted in death thrash; it actually sounds like very Germanic and reminds me of Hatred; with a blend of fast, chunky guitar riffing and a great breakdown.I really enjoyed what the lads did here.
“Hypocritical Sense of Ego” sounds like an In Flames homage which is not a bad thing. The melodic riff is the perfect thing to allow the grows of HellBastard to sink in and have a real impact.
While “Embrace the Absurd” is like Hypocrisy ; more atmospheric and you get the sense that these tracks are an attempt by Conceived By Hate to show their range as a band that can play around the various styles of death metal. The guitar work on this track is very fun and every bit as brutal as you’d expect.
Columbia’s Akheron pick things up here from Track 5 with “Estigma”. This marks a shift in tone, less thrash and more hardcore blackened death metal. “Chemtrail” continues this tone with a slower headbanger; the bass and guitar interplay here is super neat. Amon Amarth do it all the time and it’s a nice call back to the tropes of the genre.
This album ends very oddly with an almost ballad in “In-Conformista” which I guess the huge shift in tone is the point. After this odd intro, it gets more brutal with an impressive instrumental section which brings the album back into the death thrash sphere. It’s a fun way to construct a song. The oddness continues with Akheron as they close their section of the record with a cover of “Where Eagles Dare” by The Misfits. It’s a good song; but Misfit covers are always kind of weird.
So, that’s Coalition of Death. I am a huge fan of this one; I love all the influences that can be heard on this one and if that was the intent then awesome, if not, well they’re still there. If you like death metal a lot, like me, then BUY THIS! However, there is enough here to drive non-fans or semi-fans of the genre away so be warned.
Coalition of Death is available now via Morbid Skull Records
Akheron are:
Juan Guerra – Guitars, Vocals
Julie Gómez – Bass
Luis Galeano – Drums, Vocals
Jonathan Jimenez – Guitars
Conceived By Hate are:
Carlos Basagoitia – Bass
Jorge Montesino – Guitars , Vocals
Rene Insane Vega – Guitars
HellBastard – Vocals
Tulio Mata – Keyboards
Tracklist:
1. Conceived by Hate – Devotees of Death
2. Conceived by Hate – Hypocritical Sense of Ego
3. Conceived by Hate – Embrace the Absurd
4. Conceived by Hate – Thorns of Crimson Death (Dissection cover)
5. Akheron – Estigma
6. Akheron – Chemtrail
7. Akheron – In-Conformista
8. Akheron – Where Eagles Dare (Misfits cover)
