Handful of Hate "Adversus" CD

Extreme metal from Italy is nothing new and Handful of Hate hailing from the beautiful town Lucca might be one of the longest running and probably better known outfits. Having spread their aggressive and powerful style of black metal across the globe for more than 25 years they are back with full length number seven. The one before called “To Perdition” got mixed reviews so I cannot say if “Adversus” is an improvement compared to that one. What I can and will say about this album released on Aural Music is that it is stunning and comes along with so much energy and professionalism that fans of the genre will immediately be on board.

Hard hitting trademark chords are pitched against mesmerizing and at first glance slightly disharmonic-sounding melodies, creating an unholy force of destruction. The classic tremolo lines are in full force and there are a lot of the typical epic and often melancholic melodies that we all know from the Scandinavian bands of the second wave of black metal. There are glimpses of the minimalistic and raw approach that used to define black metal in the beginning but also some bits that have a more laid-back and less adventurous feeling. Some of the trademark chords even show nods to several death metal outputs so the overall sound presents and interesting and highly entertaining mixture.

The main riffs might sound familiar but some of the chord progressions feel like a modern twist on something that has been written some decades ago. A lot of the trademark chops are repeated over and over again but often with subtle variation lending the music a slightly monotonous but also hypnotical and very stringent character. The music has an epic undertone without sacrificing any of the aggression needed for that kind of stuff.

The drumming is on point keeping the tempo with ease and adding some nice fills without ever getting to chaotic. The guys have a feeling for songwriting knowing when to ramp up the intensity and when to relax a little bit. The structure of most tracks is pretty straight-forward without coming across as being too simple or boring. Despite the music being heavy and aggressive most songs have a certain catchiness making them enjoyable without a problem.

They also have a fantastic singer among their ranks in Nicola Bianchi who impresses with his brutal and powerful delivery. A few growls are complementing the otherwise classic and energetic blackish screaming adding extra intensity to the music. This man got some powerful pipes for sure.

The production is powerful without sounding too modern or sterile. There is a certain level of rawness and filthiness left without sacrificing the clarity of the mix. Each instrument can be heard and even the bass gets a few moments to shine. Rounded off by a nice looking cover artwork “Adversus” is any easy recommendation for any fans of the genre.

Sample: (14) Handful Of Hate - Adversus (Full Album) - YouTube