Hate Division

Thrash metal, is like heavy metal in general, a dying scene, filling itself with garbage and crap, diluting itself with soulless, irrational genres and reaching its own demise through media attention and people who just tend to run along, chasing whatever hype is currently available. While that aspect may be inevitable in the age of mass information, in which we are entangled in and more and more youth loses perspective and interest in current political, sociological or philosophical movements, that still is not an excuse or protective mantle for any newcomer bands. As for Portugal's "Pitch Black", this is not an exception. Their music is part great, part incredibly frustrating and annoying.

Now what a surprise! A killer thrash band from Portugal, newcomer, but still quite impressive in its style and presentation, especially when it comes to riffs. This band and also this album, 2009's "Hate Division" has riffs. Killer riffs with a lot of balls to back it off. The energy that his album emits just pushes onward and onward. There are no lame breakdowns or any of that hardcore or groove influence for that matter, but sadly, the only thing that blows incredibly is the band's vocalist. He sounds like that guy from ILL NINO or whatever they are called, sounding like a screamo kid. His vocal delivery is at least exhaled, but with a pseudo-aggressiveness and lame "brutality" that it almost hurts in my ears. If it weren't for this absolutely pathetic vocal tracks, the album would be one of 2009's top 20 albums in my book.He pushes his vocals through his throat and has absolutely no force or power to back it up. It sounds miserable in every way, as it is feeble. The only cool vocals I've heard here are the gang shouts, which really have guts, the rest is forgettable at best, annoying at worst. That aside, all the influences from great past bands are there, be it thrash or even a few leftover Gothenburg style riffs are present, which makes this quite entertaining and pleasurable.

Listen to it for yourself, but don't spend too much money on it, because whatever the instruments create or express, the vocals destroy.

(metal-observer.com on 21.08.09)