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A relatively new entry in the Polish Death Metal scene, Hate (somebody had to use that name eventually ;)) does not really bring anything new to the scene, but what they do, they do well. On first listen I immediately heard a Vader influence here, especially the guitars and to some extent the vocals as well - yet without sounding just like a Vader clone. The vocals are DM growls that aren't too guttural - i.e. it doesn't sound like the vocalist is going to throw up his breakfast into your CD player. The sound on the CD is actually very good with all instruments coming out clear - I especially like the heavy, crunching guitar riffs omnipresent on the album. Unlike a good number of recent Death Metal albums, the drum doesn't sound like the drummer is hitting on cans and the bass sound isn't turned way up. Thankfully this producer (whose name isn't provided with my promo copy) did a good job here and the result is a pleasant listening experience. Hate play pretty "standard" Death Metal - aggressive and fast with occasional slowdowns - but the guys know how to play and they play pretty tight as well. I'm no big fan of Death Metal but I definitely like their sound more than that of many other better-known acts and I've been playing this album quite a bit. While this album may be lacking a bit in terms of originality, in my opinion the band's musicianship and the sound quality make up for that shortcoming. Definitely not bad at all, and I'll be looking forward to their next album. Recommended.