“Fury and Flames” is Hate Eternal's fourth album and their debut album on Metal Blade Records, after a long stint with Earache. It also sees the band undergoing a line-up overhaul with the addition of new members Shaune Kelley as second guitarist and Jade Simonetto on drums, replacing the phenomenal Derek Roddy.  Bassist Alex Webster, yes that’s right Cannibal Corpse’s Alex Webster, also returns to replace Randy Piro.

Opening track “Hell Envenom” is just the sort of thing you’d expect on a Hate Eternal album, crushing guitars, stinging drums and blistering bass all topped off with raspy vocals from Erik Rutan (who also produced this monster!).  “Whom Gods May Destroy” starts with a frantic surge of guitars that will literally shred your face off. The sound is so well structured and produced it sounds more like colossal Egyptian metallers Nile topped with parts of Obituary and even Mastodon. 

“Bringer of Storms” and “The Funerary March” continue the metallic pounding within your skull, while “Thus Salvation” tears you apart mentally because of the immense drumming from new stick spinner Jade Simonetto. Fury & Flames remains equally as strong through out, with no weak points at all, this really is another marvellous Hate Eternal album, even the outro “Coronach” is more of a funeral march than just an instrumental.  

With Fury & Flames Hate Eternal have succeeded in producing a death metal album that is musically quite brilliant,  which in itslef is quite surprising for death metal bands these days. This metallic maelstrom is definitely worth investigating.

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Track Listing

Hell Envenom
Whom Gods May Destroy
Para Bellum
Bringer of Storms
The Funerary March
Thus Salvation
Proclamation of the Damned
Fury Within
Tombeau (Le Tombeau De La Fureur et Des Flames)
Coronach

Line Up

Erik Rutan - Vocals/Guitars
Shaune Kelley – Guitars
Alex Webster - Bass
Jade Simonetto - Drums