Liars/Bastards

Hateful Abandon

Every once in a long while, I get a hold of a promo through our […]
By Julius "Dreadheart" Mikkelä
December 23, 2014
Hateful Abandon - Liars/Bastards album cover

Every once in a long while, I get a hold of a promo through our glorious Temple that literally makes me go, "... This isn't Metal.". Pardon my elitism, but neither HATEFUL ABANDON, as neither a band nor their debut album, "Liars/Bastard", can be called Metal - or at least, it's not Metal by any commonly accepted definition used among Metalheads, elitist or otherwise. Now Metal is a monstrously diverse genre that essentially every year bends the definition of the term, and this year was certainly no different with the jimmies-stirring BABYMETAL dancing in to equal adoration, equal dismay. But for all the hate BABYMETAL got, there were some unifying Metal aspects alive in their otherwise very J-Pop-esque style that made their case.

HATEFUL ABANDON does not have this, nor are they concerned about making any such case. After several play throughs and after doing my research, I can safely say that this is a band with absolutely no interest or concern regarding whether or not they are or aren't Metal.
So what the hell is HATEFUL ABANDON? I honestly don't know, because this is a band that not just cares nothing about whether or not they're 'Metal', but cares nothing about genre definition whatsoever and has gone out to do what they want, on their terms, in their unique way and they don't care what we label it as. And you know what? I think that attitude is pretty fucking Metal.

If I were to describe it, I'd call it "Highly Atmospheric Progressive/Avant-Garde Industrial Punk-Metal, with an overture of Doom and with many twists". You can either try to wrap your head around that, or just go listen to it and say I'm wrong in my assessment. Either way, this is not your average album, band or sound. And as such it's really hard to assess - not just from my mandatory Metal perspective, but also from a more distanced, "objective" perspective. The core sound seems primarily rooted in a spaced-out kind of Atmospheric Industrial sound that gives ever-so-slight nudges to NINE INCH NAILS, built on a lot of unusual sounds and instruments (do I smell Avant-Garde?) but lacking any resemblance of traditional songwriting (hence the Progressiveness) and with an underlying fury and negativity that oozes both old-school Punk Rock and the darkest types of Metal. Throw in some casual Electronica, some Sludge, some Stoner Rock and just some random sounds because.. reasons, and you've got "Liars/Bastards".

So is it any good? I have absolutely no idea whether or not it's any good, because I gave up on assessing that after my 3rd spin, but I can tell you this: It's fascinating, if nothing else. Right off the bat, I can recommend this to both Avant-Garde-lovers and Atmospheric Industrialists, because that's what this is at its core - and it's good at that part. As for the rest of the Universe, all I can say is: Give it a chance. It's strange as hell, if you try to make sense of it you will only confuse yourself, it may very well end up nothing that strikes your fancy, to my fellow Metalheads I'd say start with the song "High Rise" and work from there, and then just see what happens.

It's weird, it defies labeling, it's definitively not Metal - but it in the strangest way, I have to say, I do like it. Unique always has value, and this is certainly unique.<

7 / 10

Good

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"Liars/Bastards" Track-listing:

1. Maze of Bastards
2. Culprit
3. High Rise
4. The Test
5. The Walker
6. There Will Never Be Peace
7. December

Hateful Abandon Lineup:

Vice Martyr
Swine

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