My first encounter with this Australian one-man act was the most excellent demo "Cleansing of an ancient race". Since then Abyssic Hate have released a few promos and a split CD with Det Hedenske Folk called "United in heathen blood". Shane, the man behind Abyssic Hate, has taken his extremely violent and hateful Darkthrone styled black metal that was performed on the demo, and evolved deeper into emotions and atmosphere. Don't get me wrong here, this is still fierce and hostile black metal we're talking about, but it sounds more original than it did from the beginning.

"Eternal Damnation" is a 21-minute long mCD, consisting of an intro, five songs including a cover of Absurd's "Der sieg ist unser" (sung in english, with the title "The Victory is ours"). At first listen the songs sound somewhat similar but when having listened to them a few times they really grow on you. The music is mostly fast paced with truly hateful vocals. The Absurd cover is played much faster than the original, which I think is good. When doing a cover, I believe bands should play them in their own style instead of trying to copy the original, well done. The song still has the same feeling as the Absurd version though, a sort of triumphant, menacing touch.

The newer music of Abyssic Hate is a slower type of suicidal, depressive black metal. One song in that vein is "Betrayed", featured on the "No Colours Records Compilation" vol II and it is truly supreme. The music on this disc is somewhere between this new style and the demo material. The new full length album, "Suicidal Emotions" is now out on No Colours.

Abyssic Hate, along with Bestial Warlust, Destroyer 666, Spear of Longinus and a few more, are definitely the elite of Australia's mighty extreme metal scene. A special heil to Abyssic Hate for supporting a great label such as Darker Than Black. This mCD was limited to 500 copies and is sold out.

© 1999 blodsband