Land Of Hate
Neutralized Existence

I was eagerly anticipating this release from the Calabrian band Land Of Hate.

This band, active for quite some years now, has built a solid reputation in the Italian and international underground scene, thanks to an extensive live activity that has taken them to stages all over Italy, as well as a series of releases, split CDs, and various appearances in both Italian and international compilations.

"Neutralized Existence" is the title of the full-length album I am about to review. This album is produced by a Korean label called Infernal Kaos Productions in collaboration with other foreign labels, namely Gate Of Horror and Fistbang Records.

The musical genre proposed by the band is a thrash death metal with a clear eighties/early nineties influence. To better illustrate their style, I can confidently say their music follows in the footsteps of bands like Protector and Sepultura in their golden years, and at times it also brings to mind the Masters and the myriad of bands that made the old-school scene great.

The album starts with "Claustrophobic", and what I immediately perceive is that the production is excellent, with clear and powerful sounds. I also notice a slight shift in the band compared to their previous works; in a sense, they have become even more extreme, and the passages are more complex compared to the effort heard on their previous mini CD. The acceleration present in the central part of the track is chilling and exudes rage from every pore.

Next is "The Torment", a song characterized by numerous tempo changes with the energetic drums taking the lead. The performance by each musician is excellent, and the guitar solo in the middle of the track is commendable, very claustrophobic, as the old Slayer school teaches.

"Murderous State" and "Minds Devourer" continue in the vein of the first two tracks. What stands out to the ear is the doom component present in the songs, a recognizable trademark in the Land Of Hate camp that gives the CD a mysterious and dark aura, where the piercing and evil screams of vocalist Marko often dominate.

We now come to analyzing the title track, which convinces me the least, perhaps due to my general dislike of hardcore, and this song is crammed full of old-school HC influences. It's a very fast-paced piece, lasting about two minutes, reminiscent of the Sodom period "Fuck Police", just to give an idea. The work done by the rhythm section is impressive.

With "From The Street", Land Of Hate eases off the accelerator a bit. This is a very rhythmical track with evident death influences made in Florida, a massive piece where the vocalist's voice becomes even more exasperated and piercing—a song that will undoubtedly claim victims in live performances.

A horror movie intro launches us into the next track, with bells, storms, and screams foreshadowing "In The Hands Of Destruction". The formula doesn't change: thrash death at full speed with doom inserts truly chilling.

The album concludes with "Extreme Violence", one of the most violent songs of the batch, where the band steps even harder on the accelerator, also inserting a few blasts and beats here and there.

In conclusion, I can affirm that this band knows what they're doing. Their songs exude rage and seem to have emerged directly from the late eighties, a perfect attitude for the genre they propose. If you love the old sounds and are among the true metallers convinced that the best metal came out in the aforementioned years, make this CD yours. You might love it to the point of nausea; otherwise, stay far away from it, as you won't find anything innovative.

Amen.