### Hat: Vortex of death

#### 04/04/11 || Khlysty

In the beginning I thought of making a couple of silly jokes about hats in this review, but I quickly abandoned the idea, viewing it as pretty retarded. You’re free to make whatever crack you want, when commenting on the band’s name in the forums – incidentally, “Hat” is “Hate” in Norwegian or some such dead language.

Anyway, Hat comes from Norway and play a surprisingly interesting take of Extremely Trad Black Metal (heretoforth to be called ETBM in this here review). This duo has obviously spent many an hour listening to the Great Old Ones of the genre (see for reference: Mayhem, Darkthrone, Immortal, Emperor, Gorgoroth et al) and the guys seem to just wanna rock out with lots and lots of tremolo-picking, blasting, screeching and all the paraphernalia of ETBM, except one: the production sounds pretty good to these ears, which is an obvious – swollen-thumb obvious – discrepancy from Ye Olde Rulez, that require the recordings to be done with a broken down tape recorder, inside a soggy cardboard box, in the midst of a rainy forest.

Otherwise, the band has a great sense of songwriting, creating almost beautiful soaring melodies and adding here and there some nice thrashy parts that work wonderfully as “breathers” amidst the almost constant blasting. Also, they seem to like all things atmospheric and to use them ingeniously when needs be (see the anthemic “The Path To Immortality” for reference), while never, EVER letting the levels of intensity to fall below the red.

Look, this is ETBM of the highest possible order, designed to rip your face off, all the while making your ears enjoy the great and memorable melodies and your head bang like hell. And, even though I prefer the new and improved American take on black metal, I cannot but admire Hat’s passion and dedication to their unholy craft. Bottom line is, of course, that Hat enter loudly and proudly the Great Norsk Tradition of ETBM. Enjoy.

- Information
- Released: 2011
- Label: Abyss Records
- Website: Hat MySpace
- Band
- Nevresch: guitar
- Undertrykker: drums, vocals

- Tracklist
- 01. Inhumanus Revelatio
- 02. Invocating Death
- 03. The Flesh I Wear
- 04. The Path to Immortality
- 05. Overmenneske
- 06. Ultimate Evil
- 07. Slaves of Insanity
- 08. Tilintetgjørelsen