Hailing from El Salvador, Death/Thrash band CONCEIVED BY HATE have been doing their thing for over a decade. Released in November of 2016, "Death & Beyond" saw a co-release across multpile labels internationally. The vocals are the grittiest component here; not as pummelping as some albums that I've heard but with the torrential speed of good Thrash. It will be up to you to decide if this is good or bad, but any time I can actually distinguish notes and instruments is a positive for me.

The first two tracks are very high in energy, sparing no time for lengthy introductions or building up to it, just hitting the ground running with "Crossroad of Fire"; yet "This is Underground" has a wailing guitar solo that really sets it apart. It's been awhile since I have heard a solo this good on a Death Metal album; everything always seems dedicated to making every moment as full and ferocious as can be, but that gets old after awhile when every band is doing the same thing. "The Underdog" is more of the same but doesn't really have anything to make it stand out; it's a good track all the same but only when compared to the better tracks.

Starting off with a repetitive but catchy riff, "We Choose Who Suffers" has a rhythm to it that does more good for the album than the first four put together. It just goes to show that great Death Metal is still music and should be treated as such. It can be both rhythmic and ferociously demonic, and they aren't mutually exclusive. The rhythm guitar and vocals can get pushed to the background on "Death & Beyond" but at least the guitars get to shine here.

Almost every other track takes a step back in terms of production and quality of writing but the songs in between take another two steps forward. There is definitely room for improvement but CONCEIVED BY HATE have some major things going for them. Interesting riffs and vicious yet still comprehensible vocals, savage playing but a willingness to reign in that brutallity when it serves the song are all qualities most young bands lack in their determination to be nasty rather than skilled. A trim 45-minute runtime makes for easy listening and relistening during a short commute without having to miss out on half of the album; 80 minute runtimes should be reserved for Prog and huge track lists. CONCEIVED BY HATE have made a concise package that works to their benefit.