The Pitch: Melodic death metal from San Francisco's Hatchets for Hands with "a refreshing throwback vibe reminiscent of old school In Flames and At The Gates, but of course with their own touch."
What I Like: I was in the midst of a large pile of band requests when I came upon Hatchets for Hands, and something about them definitely stood out from the pack. Initially, I was just planning a standard post, but ultimately the epic riffs and rumbling bass of "Warpath" convinced me to do a full review. Convulsions of a Dying Empire has a lot going for it, especially in the guitar department. I definitely hear the old school In Flames vibes embedded in the hooks and solos of "Mistress Death" and "No Hope." These tracks have that same anthemic "Gothenburg" sound, though the latter also branches out into extended territory. I also dig "Food For The Gun," which has more of a thrashy groove metal Lamb Of God feel to it. The vocals are overall strong, and the energy is high.
Critiques: There's definitely still room for improvement. I find myself skipping both "Convulsions" and "To The Grave" due to feeling lack of purpose or engagement. The guitarwork and vocal delivery on these tracks is lacking in comparison to the bar set by "Warpath," and the former's sluggish pace just isn't working for me. There's also some cheesy, cliche lyrics I could do without, but to be fair this is true of some of the classics in the genre as well.
The Verdict: Convulsions of a Dying Empire has the roadbumps of a band still ironing things out, but even so, the high points of this release make Hatchets For Hands a band worth tracking. If they continue to build on what works and weed out what doesn't, I am confident that there will only be good things in their future.
Flight's Fav's: Warpath, Food For The Gun, No Hope
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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