_ _______ _ ...:... _ _______ _ ___ / .:::::::::::. \ ___ | / .. (:::::::::::::) .. \ | | . .:::::.`:::::::::::'.:::::. . | | .::.. `:::.::':::`::.:::' ..::. | _ _______ | .::' ::::':::::`:::: `::. | _______ _ \\ | | :: `' ::':`:: `' :: | | // \ | | `:. .::' . `::. .:' | | / . | | .::::::..::::' ... `::::..::::::. | | . | | `:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::' | | .... | | `:' `::::: :: :: :::::' `:' | | .... | ' | : `. ': :: :: :: :: :` .' : | ` | |.....: . .......: :: :: :: :: : ...... . : ....| . ...................: : :: :: :: :: : : ................. . _____________:_____________ _____________:_____________ _ ___\` __ /_\` _______/_\` __ _/_\` /___ _ // __ / (/ ___/ (/ _ (/ /_______/\ _ _ /_________ ___________ ______/\ _ ______________/\__/_ _ \\\\\_________\__/\_________\__/\_____/\_____/\____________/ /// - -\-\-----------\__/----------\__/-------\_____/---------------/-/- - - -------------------: : :. ..:: :: . :------------------ - : : :......: :: :` ': :: : .....: : : ___ _ | | : ` ' : | | _ ___ _\---------- : | -------- : B E R C : -------- | : ----------/_ /_\ . : . ..:.. ..:.. . : . /_\ /// . . : : . . \\\ /: :\ /:: Artist :: Hate Forest ::\ :: Album :: Innermost :: :: Year :: 2022 :: :: __ _ _ __ :: -:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:- :: \ / :: :: . Genre :: Black Metal Source :: CDDA . :: :: Label :: Black Metal Store R.date :: 2023.03.31 :: _::__ Cat.nr. :: BMS106 S.date :: 2022.12.21 __::_ ::// \\:: ::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\:: :: :: /: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\ ..: Bitrate :: avg. 273kbps :.. . Quality :: 44,1kHz/Joint Stereo . . Size :: 68,90 MB . . . __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: 01. Those Who Howl Inside the Snowstorm 03:39 :: :: 02. By Full Moon's Light Alone the Steppe Throne Can 06:27 :: :: Be Seen :: :: 03. Ice-Cold Bloodless Veins 05:38 :: :: 04. Temple of the Great Eternal Night 07:59 :: :: 05. Whiteout Silence 03:39 :: :: 06. Solitude in Starry December 07:42 :: :: ------- :: .. >> 35:04 .. __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: :: :: The year 2022 has blessed us with many extreme metal :: :: releases, mostly that of black metal sort. WeÆve had :: :: WatainÆs ôThe Agony and Ecstasy of Watainö, I Am the NightÆs :: :: ôWhile the Gods are Sleepingö and Lord BelialÆs ôRaptureö to :: :: name a few, but like a bolt from the blue comes Hate :: :: ForestÆs new album ôInnermostö. Released on December 19th on :: :: Osmose ProductionÆs YouTube channel, only 2 days before its :: :: official release date on December 21st, it came totally :: :: unexpected, even amidst UkraineÆs current situation. :: :: Although the previous album ôHour of the Centaurö, released :: :: only 2 years prior, was still quite fresh with its overall :: :: well received status, the black metal community would :: :: certainly not hesitate to give the new Hate Forest album a :: :: warm (or in this case ôcoldö) welcome and embrace it with :: :: open arms. So, does ôInnermostö deserve a warm welcome? :: :: :: :: Hate ForestÆs musical approach remains pretty much the same :: :: after all these years, staying faithful to what it does :: :: best. Those who are familiar with Hate Forest and its style, :: :: they already know that itÆs black metal with cold, :: :: misanthropic and diabolic tremolo riffs, blast beats, :: :: double-bass drumming and growling vocals with occasional :: :: harsh screams, which is the bread and butter that Roman :: :: Saenko still incorporates to this day, even on ôInnermostö. :: :: All tracks have plenty of those mentioned above, while :: :: tracks ôBy Full Moon's Light Alone the Steppe Throne Can Be :: :: Seenö and ôTemple of the Great Eternal Nightö also have :: :: acoustic interludes that later switch to tremolo picking and :: :: blast beats, with only a brief instance of mid-tempo riffs :: :: and drum patterns on the second track ôBy Full Moon's Light :: :: Alone the Steppe Throne Can Be Seenö. The third track öIce- :: :: Cold Bloodless Veinsö does something a bit different from :: :: the rest, it starts off with the main riff and growling :: :: vocals without any drums and bass for a few seconds before :: :: it starts blasting, and repeats the same formula in the :: :: middle of the song, but the final track ôSolitude in Starry :: :: Decemberö is somewhat too repetitive and straightforward, :: :: leaving nothing more till the very end. As for the sound :: :: production, it sounds cold and misanthropic as it should, :: :: with heavy guitars, drums that arenÆt too loud and vocals :: :: that blend well in the mix. :: :: :: :: Overall, the album doesnÆt really provide anything new other :: :: than new songs and new riffs, it is still substantial to a :: :: certain degree and faithful to Hate ForestÆs sound. This :: :: album wonÆt be anything special to people who feel a bit :: :: overfed with what Roman Saenko has been doing with this band :: :: for 20 years now, but if youÆre just someone who is looking :: :: for a good Hate Forest album or a good black metal album :: :: with growling vocals and cold misanthropic sound, this does :: :: indeed deserve your warm welcome. :: :: :: :: . _ _ . :: \: :. \\ ___________ . ___________ // .: :/ __\____ :: ____ ___\ _ / BERC : 2023 \ _ /___ ____ :: ____/__ \\\f3! :: \\\ __ _/_________i_________\ /___/ /// :: cRO/// \ :: :\-\___________\_ ___ / _ _/___________/-/: :: / :: | . . _ _ _/ __/ . \_ _ _ . . | :: : :::::::: | | \\\\\/ _______\____|\ \///// | | :::::::: : :: | | -\-\/____/-------------\____\/-/- | | :: :: | | \ :|: / | | :: : : | . ` ::: ' . | : : . . | : ::: : | . . | :::....:::....::: | : ::::::::::::::::: : . :::''``:::''``::: . : ::: : . ::: . .:. :