Formed in 2005 in Catania, Sicily, the Melodic Death-Thrash band DISASTERHATE quickly grew in the local scene and were quick to release their debut EP "Sacrifice to Eclipse" back in 2007. And though the writing for their follow started not long after said release, the actual creation of the full-length debut album that would become "Mirroring the Abyss" took until late 2013, and then released almost an entire year later in late September 2014.

Thankfully, DISASTERHATE's debut is by every account worth the effort put in by the group, and hopefully a sign that the - in my opinion - undervalued Melodic Death-Thrash scene is on the rise. As for SISATERHATE's own take on the genre, think a dual-female-fronted (using both clean and harsh vocals, with emphasis on the latter) fuse of NEVERMORE's Melodies and DESTRUCTION's Thrash assault with a sound that's leaning towards CHIMAIRA territory and the occasional Progressive undertones, all extremely fell-fused into a rather distinct and well-produced sound that immediately places this way above the average debut effort.

From beginning to end, the album delivers one solid song after another that all walk that fine line of being both true to the sound of the band while also providing an impressive amount of diversity of styles, inspirations, riffs and melodies that keep it overall interesting - much thanks to the OPETH-like Progressive touches that really allow the album as a whole to go past being just a Thrash fest. However the only songs that made me really batter an eye was the second track "Desecrated Sick Reality", which was the only song with a distinct and memorable chorus, and the 5^th quasi-instrumental song "Blank" which wasn't just a nice change of pace but also a rather beautiful atmospheric track. I guess the opening track "Me = Android" should be given some honorary mention as well for being a rather good opening track in the form of a Melodic Thrasher, and the 7^th track "The Abyss" was a rather surprising and well-done Doom Metal-esque piece that seemed to ooze apocalyptic atmosphere. The remaining songs, while perfectly fine, didn't get to me in any way beyond being either solid Thrashers and/or quasi-Progressive tracks.

But no everyone writes instantly recognizable songs on their first try, and there are even those who don't want to write such songs. In either case, there's nothing about DISASTERHATE's debut album "Mirroring the Abyss" that struck me wrong, in truth I was pleasantly taken by the album at large, and that means this is a rock solid album worthy of investigation in my books as well as a promising start to a band with a lot of potential to make great things in the years to come.