Rating: 9.1

Country: Poland

Release Date: 2003

Record Label: Empire Records
/ Listenable Records

Released in Europe by Listenable
Released in North America by Mercenary Music.

Track list:
1.Flagellation
2.Anti-God Extremity
3.Close to the Nephilim
4.Immolate the Pope
5.The Shroud (A Hellish Value) [MP3]
6.The Scrolls
7.Awakening of the Liar
8.Serve God Rely on Me (Hymn of Asael)
9.Grail in ihe Flesh
10.Spirit of Gospa

Total playing time: 31:40

Band Contact: Hate

Hate - Awakening Of The Liar

Adam "The First Sinner" - Lead and Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Kaos - Guitar
Cyprian - Bass
Hellrizer - Drums

I wish the new Decapitated was half as enthralling as this. Why am I already comparing Hate to another band besides Deicide? Because this exposes the new Decapitated for what it isn't even more so.

Recorded a full two years before it's release Hate's 'Awakening the Liar' is the bands 4th full length (and first release on France's Listenable Records) in a rather large discography including demos, compilations and mini albums. In a time were Poland is being looked at just as closely as Sweden and America as some sort of mecca for quality death metal, it is albums like this that solidify the country's prominent role in extreme metal right now. The biggest name always has been and most likely always will be Vader, who is basically the European Slayer-explaining their immense popularity. The other “big name” would be Decapitated who gained almost all of their notoriety via their age at the time of recording their debut 'Winds of Creation', I guess we all quickly forgot Entombed, Grave and Carnage were all around the same age when they released their debuts but I digress.

'Awakening The Liar' is quite the leap forward this band has needed to make it's name known better on the western half of the world. It is less Deicide-like and more original than ever yet it sounds sonically very similar to the route country mates Decapitated have taken-only much more entertaining and at times more adventurous and dynamic. Decapitated's 'The Negation' should have been ideologically, technically and sonically as much as a progress as 'Nihility' was to the quartet's debut, but it was not. Here is where Hate comes in, and in quite a dominating manner. 'Awakening the Liar' is certainly a FAR superior album than 'The Negation' and was recorded a full year before it! It is unfortunate that the album was held back because I believe if it was released sooner we wouldn't even care about the new Decapitated anyway! Musically the band has always been tight, even in the very early years. But, in 'Awakening of the Liar' the band proves beyond a shadow of doubt that they are one of the world's tightest and most cohesive bands.

The album opens with "Flagellation" blasting and tearing all that is ahead, but in a controlled, calculated manner. Adam “The First Sinner” 's vocals are just as poisonous as ever and now more so than ever are filled with contempt and spite. With each release Hate unleashes, he sheds his “Glen Benton” skin bit by bit for a more vicious approach, he has never sounded better (I love the “burning souls is what I smell“ line, great throwback to Possessed!).

Musically the band is technically sound and matches it well with songs full of hooks…before you know it we are into the second track. "Anti-God Extremity" is a slower, choppier, more thoughtful expression to Hate's style. Rolling along with an old school inspired thrash beat and a flowing vocal war command from Adam make this a stand out song and only a minute in! The talent in this band is undeniable. It is everything most fans of death metal could want. The power is there, the ripping vocals, destructive drumming. The hooks without sacrificing intensity and brutality is the band's greatest asset!

Blowing wind and the howling of demons across the horizon intro the 3rd verse in this chapter; "Close to the Nephilim". The beginning riff is an air guitar classic, the song never hits a sluggish forgettable moment. It's all building around itself creating a glorious atmosphere. Hate have stepped fully out of their shells and proved that they are great song crafters. Sure this is nothing that will win the award of “most ambitious of 2004” but this is pure deathmetal with absolutely no disappointing factors. The greatness never stops either, "Immolate the Pope" and "The Shroud" are both commendable slabs of blasphemous rage. Violent, but intelligent.

Track 6 "The Scrolls" introduces itself with a double bass lovers wet dream-you know you will love this, again, intelligent brutality. The hooks are here along with the kind of riffs that make you make a face like you are trying to shit out a bowling ball. This would be the album's most percussively punishing song. The title track and follower "Serve God, Rely on Me" again showcase nothing but the strengths the band has. Catchy, convincing, and just downright impressive. This is the band “newbies” need to be exposed to-if you're going to get into the scene this late in the game, might as well find a “new school” act that easily crushes the competition!!! The lone track on this release that is not pure, proud crushing death is "Grail in the Flesh" a short acoustic introduction to the closer Spirit of Gospa. The closer, yet again is a excursion into highly honorable new school deathmetal.

All in all this is one of those albums that may not rewrite history certainly will prove Hate is going nowhere but forward. It's up to you to buy this or not, but I would highly recommend picking this up if you have any love or respect for quality deathmetal!!!

March 7th, 2005