Hate - Rugia (2021)

Led by Adam Buszko, Hate is one of Metal Blade’s heaviest bands and they have returned with a vengeance with “Rugia”. Unleashing nine tracks and nearly 40 minutes of devastating music, Hate features a sound similar to Behemoth but with its own brand of aural poison and intensity. If you are a fan of Blackened Death Metal, and bands like Belphegor and Azarath, this is one release you can’t miss.

Opening with the album title track, the band makes a vicious statement with crushing riffs, devilish snarls and tight drumming. The band’s sound is quite refined and vicious, allowing them to introduce melody alongside their superbly brutal and swift onslaughts, evidence of this are songs like “The Wolf Queen”, “Exiles of Pantheon”, and one of favorites “Awakening the Gods Within”. Not just blasting the listener away with sheer brutality, the band systematically attacks with their musicality and execution.

For those that love commanding riffs and hyperactive drumms, tracks like “Velesian Guard” really capture the band’s essence as they are masterfully crafted to inflict damage and create massive moshing pits. Showcasing different gears, tracks like “Sun of Extinction” allow the band to flex their melodic muscles while keeping their intensity.

Overall, “Rugia” is one punishing release with powerful songs that showcase the band’s versatility and refinement. While hitting the listener like a bag of bricks, one can also enjoy a crystal clear production that highlights the musician ship behind the monstrous drumming and piercing guitar work. If you like your music violent, well recorded, and fierce, look no further and start following Hate and their crushing releases.

Label: Metal Blade Records

Release: October 15th, 2021

Genre: Blackened Death Metal

Country: Poland