Handful Of Hate
Vicecrown

What the hell do other Europeans have in metal that we Italians don't? When did this prejudice arise that international metal is synonymous with quality while Italian metal is crap? Someone, please tell me, because I can no longer find an answer. I mean, just as an example, I'll randomly mention some bands that come to mind: say prog and I'll say Edenshade, say thrash and I'll say Methedras, say nu-metal and I'll say Mothercare (with appropriate distances...), say death and I'll say Mutala, say melodic death and I'll say Golem (I assure you they can easily compete with In Flames), say hardcore and I'll say Raw Power, say epic and I'll say Doomsword... Say extreme black and I'll answer Handful Of Hate.

Because in their previous works, the band continued to mimic Marduk and Setherial, throwing in some riffs that betrayed their death metal origins, but in this "Vicecrown", what reigns is personality, that of a group that has finally decided to stick its head out and make its mark in this overused genre.
From Tuscany, with a philosophy that's not easily reconcilable with market logic, Handful Of Hate showcases darkness and face-painting, assaulting those who dare listen with a genuine black assault that has nothing to envy the sacred monsters of the genre, quite the contrary.
Because what we find in these nine bloody tracks (take a look at the meticulously curated booklet, speaking of blood...) is pure hate, unleashed on the instruments and vomited in the listener's face, with a morbid touch that crowns the melodies.
Yes, melodies: melodies that beautifully integrate with the most extreme murderous fury, crafting songs endowed with a strong personality and an incredible sincerity (especially these days...).

In short, there is no trace of the senseless chaos of "Panzer Division Marduk" here, yet the impact is not much different, and this is the greatest credit I give to this band: being able to play in a personal way and to insert that sense of melody into the violence, which, paradoxically speaking, makes the work even more extreme. Try listening to the terrifying (yet beautiful) opener "I Hate", or the Marduk-like "Boldly Erected", perhaps the compositional peak of the album, with its desperate cadenced rhythm, and you'll quickly get an idea of what I mean.
In short, here there is passion, conviction in their means and ideas, creativity, and a strong personality, which I don't deny will bear good fruit in the future, placing the Tuscans alongside the sacred northern European monsters of the black metal scene. In the meantime, for anyone who appreciates uncompromising black metal, here we have a delightful journey into darkness. Do not underestimate it.