Bitterness - Hallowed Be The Game ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
- Jay
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
FOR FANS OF: TANKARD, EXODUS, DESTRUCTION
THRASH-O-METER
★★★★★★★☆☆☆ SONGWRITING
★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ LONGEVITY
★★★★★★★☆☆☆ THEMES
★★★★★★★☆☆☆ PRODUCTION
★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ MUSICIANSHIP
★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ CHARACTER
★★★★★★★★☆☆ THRASHABILITY
Judging by the cover the theme isn’t exactly subtle: Robot Jesus presides over a clearly indoctrinated workforce - us.
Bitterness leans into the belchier side of the Teutonic tradition, conjuring a beast that’s more a thrashin' brute than precision-engineered slaughter machine.
Think Tankard and you're there!
WWH8 (or: World War Hate) opens as a chugger that barrels forward on a clear, well-articulated message about hate, and especially the poison it leaves to fester in your unconscious.
Amok: Koma feels almost like a stygian chant afterwards. Then, when you hit Hypochristian your head almost snaps off from the sudden change of pace: this one starts with happy rock & rollish guitarwork with over-the-top vocalisations.
Losing channels some serious Therapy? vibes. Then there's a 8 minute instrumental piece as an outro of sorts.
So... uh...
For the heck of it!
The band’s eighth album is a blend of tight thrash cuts and material that borders on comedy - veering too deep as it overflows from satirical or sarcastic intent. So, what the hell are you supposed to think about this thing? One second its dead serious tackling some serious societal sh!t and the next it feels like its scratching its balls.
You are absolutely allowed to have fun because if you can't chuckle at sh!t in this world of ours you're a lost cause. However, stuff's kind of a scattershot here where nothing lands and sticks in a big way. There are a lot great moments along the way but it feels this thing seriously lacks vision for a through-line. Pair that with their pet peeve of making the songs way too long for their own good...
Even the tastiest riffs need to know when to take the exit!
On the sound department this thing is medium-rare - gritty, a little raw even. That kind of character is always nice in this day and age of over-polish and over-thinking it. I like it! Looseness like this leaves room for small imperfections and little moments come through - you just can't beat that good ol' fashioned hands-on human effect!
There’s a real homespun warmth to this sh!t and it makes the album immediately inviting for old school thrashers. 'Hallowed Be The Game' is easygoing - but thats also precisely the reason why the songs don't fully take off.
