Australian deathcore band Thy Art is Murder has released their sophomore album entitled “Hate.”
“I am the purest strain of hate,” proclaims vocalist Chris McMahon in the second track, and the rest of the band also follows that phrase, as this album is not only their heaviest, fastest work to date, but is also the best album they have released thus far.
The music sounds straight-up evil, as though it came from Hell itself. The climactic breakdowns that are scattered throughout the album send shivers down the listeners’ spines as they hear the brutal screams from the vocalist and feel his anger with lyrics that span across various themes such as internal pain, hatred for humanity, and the apocalypse, among other things.
One example of his take on the end of the world is found in the song “Defective Breed,” where he sings, “Purging the water with filth and disease, endless chaos crushing mountains of stone and trees. Horrific beings destroy and enslave, throne of insanity thrive as life decays.”
McMahon’s lyrics used to be graphic by nature in the band’s previous releases, conveying violence against people and how they would suffer, but now his lyrics have taken a more mature approach by exploring larger concepts of evil.
The guitars are unrelenting, with their endless riffing and chugging in complex fashion. Upon listening to the last song on the album, “Doomed from Birth,” the opening breakdown will make you want to break everything in sight. The bass, unfortunately, is quite hard to hear, but the lack of bass lets the dark guitar tone shine throughout the chaos. In addition to riffs and breakdowns, the lead guitar creates a very eerie atmosphere with echoing chords at many points during the record. For example, the first song, “Reign of Darkness,” opens up with a scary ambience while the vocalist is screaming the words, “Fear me, I am the destruction of innocence. I am the violence embedded in flesh. I am the pain the bones of the mortal shell, the dark heart of the earth. I am hell.”
Moreover, the drumming on this record is phenomenal. Blast beats, crushing double bass, intricate drum fills and interesting rhythm breaks are scattered throughout the album. Once you hear the intro to “Gates of Misery,” you will find it hard to believe that a human is capable of playing that fast. Thankfully, the pristine production on this record lets every tom, snare, cymbal and double bass hit shine, as they are being attacked with the utmost intensity. Being able to hear how well the drummer can play is important to the listener when he is playing as fast as he is. If this album had a muddier production, listeners probably would not appreciate the drummer as much.
Although there are many things the album has going for it, it is not perfect. When listening the first time, it is hard to distinguish certain songs from each others, causing them to blend together. The song structures are similar to each other, and sometimes there are too many breakdowns and not enough variation in the songwriting.
Overall, if you are a fan of death core and or a fan of this band, give this album a listen. Even upon first sight of the album cover, it is sure to intrigue you with the imagery of a demon, destroyed architecture, human skulls and lava. This album is one of the better releases in the genre as a group of talented musicians come together to create a technical, dark, heavy album full of fury that does not let up, right up until the end.
