Review of Infinited Hate - Revel In Bloodshed

I’m always down for a pleasant surprise. Too often in this metal review business you get into the bad habit of making presumptions about bands simply by looking at their name and scoping out their cover art. I’ll admit, that’s what I almost did before reviewing Revel in Bloodshed, the Displeased Records debut from the Netherlands’ Infinited Hate. The grammatically challenged name and the cover art featuring crucified demons had me thinking I was in for a boring slab of rehashed brutal death metal, or even worse, another throwback album. Fortunately for me, I was wrong. Revel in Bloodshed has made for more than a few compelling listens, and possesses enough character of its own to make its obvious admiration for the old school stand out among the recent deluge of acts looking to recapture the sound of death metal’s halcyon days.

Comprising three members of Sinister, Infinited Hate makes no bones about the fact that this project was started as on outlet to express their love of early American death metal. This is an outlet that apparently wasn’t offered by Sinister. Why is it then that this is one of the most refreshing pieces of death metal I’ve heard in quite some time? Ranging from the rounded, semi-intricate riffing of Ron van de Polder, to the unsuppressed, live sounding drum performance of Aad Kloosterwaard, Revel in Bloodshed offers many of the characteristics of what I would expect of a Millennium death metal release. However, it’s all done with the mindset of an old school death metal album -- i.e., never once giving rest to the speed or brutality. The tracks “Dreadful Gore” and “Primitive Butchery” are probably the best examples of this mentality. Both songs are relentless in their delivery; the blasting is persistent with plenty of emphasis on the crash symbols, and the riff work is all over the neck. “Arrival of Doom” is perhaps my favorite track on this album. It features some dissonant chord arpeggios a la Immolation, and a persistent, almost thrash-like riff. It’s these kind of curveballs that Infinited Hate consistently throw on Revel in Bloodshed that keep me coming back for more. The vocals are very reminiscent of a young Glenn Benton. Even more impressive is the fact they are delivered primarily by female vocalist Rachel Heyzer.

There’s a reason we all love old school death metal. It was honest, it was pure and it was fast. It was the all things that other forms of metal wanted to be, in spades. However, fifteen years after the fact, it’s not quite the head trip it once was. When a band comes along that can offer all the aspects we loved about the old school, and bring along a bit of the head trip as well, then you’ve got a recipe for something special. I don’t really have anything negative to say about this album. The production is fitting, the drums are a little low in the mix, but not so much that it detracts from the overall sound. The performances are tight as hell, and come off really passionately. And the vocals are texturally appropriate. If you’re looking for an album that you can get off on the same way you did as the first time you heard Scream Bloody Gore, but is still undoubtedly Millennium in its approach, then I highly recommend that you check out Revel in Bloodshed.

Release Details

Infinited Hate

Revel In Bloodshed

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