ALBUM REVIEW: Disavowal Of The Creator God – Burn In Hell

Is it just us or is hardcore getting nastier? There’s definitely at least a certain corner of the genre that is. In recent years, bands like CULT LEADER, LEECHED, MASTIFF and NAILS have all taken things to increasingly bleak and more miserable territories. Somehow, BURN IN HELL give all these bands and more a run for their money. The Australian five-piece’s second full-length, Disavowal Of The Creator God, is a suffocating, joyless record. Its seven tracks span just over 15 minutes, with every second fuelled by an unadulterated hatred and disdain for humanity.

Central to BURN IN HELL‘s music is their fierce and uncompromising political message. In the liner notes for this record, they stress that Disavowal… was “written and recorded on stolen land of the Dharawal People.” It’s an important acknowledgement, and further proof of the band’s mission to dismantle systems of oppression, colonialism and white supremacy. Lyrically, the album takes aim at the hypocrisy of the corporate church and Australia’s own political leaders, exploring the ways in which the two so often intertwine to fuel division and exploitation.

Equally compelling is the music with which the band deliver their message. As aggression goes, BURN IN HELL seem incapable of operating at any less than a full 10. The CULT LEADER comparisons are particularly strong, especially in the vocals of frontman Marcus Tamp. Throughout the record, Tamp spews his politically-charged lyrics with a tortured rage that leaves no doubt he means every word. Behind him, the band go straight for the throat with a punishing brand of metallic hardcore. The drums hit like a thousand tonnes of bricks – a force to match the record’s fiery subject matter. On top of them, the guitars drip with sludgy distortion as they provide a conveyor belt of world-ending riffs and breakdowns.

As a whole, Disavowal… is less a record of stand-out tracks and more one of unwavering sonic obliteration. There are a few specifics worth mentioning though. Third track Bleach is a bracing blast of D-beat fury with a merciless pre-breakdown callout of “Drown in our justice you racist fuck!” that’s sure to raise a few pulses. Elsewhere, the album’s sixth and semi-title track Disavowal slows things to a weighty stomp in its second half to make for a devastating overall highlight. After that, closer Armageddon ends things on a high, or more aptly a low, with a CONVERGE-esque atmospheric crusher. It all passes by in a flash, with the album’s slight runtime ensuring its ferocity doesn’t dull for a second.

From its music to its message, there’s nothing subtle about this record. Then again, that’s definitely not the point. BURN IN HELL expect their listeners to either get on board or get out of their way. If you like hardcore which actually stands up for something, then you can’t go wrong here. Alternatively, if all you want is the complete sonic crap kicked out of you, then Disavowal… will more than do the trick for that too.

Rating: 8/10

Disavowal Of The Creator God is set for release on August 6th via Reason And Rage Records.

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