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This is my first taste of German Death Metal act Hackneyed and judging by reviews I've read of their debut album things, didn't look too good from the get go. This is the sort of stuff you can hear anywhere and I can assure you there a load of better bands out there. They champion a more modern style of Death Metal that's popular with the kids, just by looking at the band you can see they are relatively young themselves – I really couldn't see anyone with a good understanding of the genre enjoying this – certainly one for the core kids to make them feel more brutal. However there are some decent moments on offer, but for the most part they rely on blasts, breakdowns, and groove-infused moments which should send most wizened Death Metal fans flying for their copy of Devilizer. Tracks such as "Bloodshed" and the ridiculously titled "Weed Flavored Meat" stick out as decent stompers, the latter taking influence from Melodic Death Metal and the former taking an exercise in smoking that I'd like to see more of on future releases. Overall whilst lacking any sort of identity or hooks to return for repeated listens, fans of the genre could find a few moments of enjoyment although in reality there are better releases to spend your hard earned cash on. A nice try, though ultimately uninspiring.