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The Project Hate MCMXCIX: The lustrate process

23/10/09 || Euthanatos

As I was perusing (what a fantastically erotic word, perusing. To peruse) the annals (with two n’s, you buggerer of boys) of Global Domination, I suddenly noticed no one had written a review for The Project Hate’s latest offering. What was even more fascinating was that no one had even claimed the album. Why is that so strange, you might ask? For the very simple reason, dear reader and brainless cunt, that our rightful lord and master spearheads this band. One would think he would have a mandate obliging us to review this, no? Well, that’s fair and balanced for you, cocksuckers.

‘Tis quite hard to tackle something as grand as a new The Project Hate album. For many a reason, really; one, our boss is on it, and he’s big enough to kill us, and mean enough to make us wet our beds. Second, The Project Hate is a band endeared to many who visit the site. I, myself, only came upon this worthy abode because of TPH. I fell immediately in love with the band after listening to their debut, even interviewed Lord K for a couple of websites, and eventually ended up on this fearsome roster. Now, this unworthy scribe must tell the tale of “The Lustrate Process”. Alright, enough faggotry.

I’ve often piped, as pied pipers do, that TPH had never beaten that debut, “Cybersonic Superchrist”. Because of that, as I claimed this album for review, I decided to revisit the Hate discography to remind myself of all aspects I might have missed. One thing became clear to me; I’m a fucking retard. Not only is the previous album a shitload better than the first one, even the one before that, “Armageddon March Eternal”, is a fucking smash to the face. I have no idea what was wrong with me, but I suspect it was that old sense of blissful nostalgia one gets when cherishing the memory of the 1st album they’ve heard from a band they really like.

So how’s about “The Lustrate Process”, how does this insane beast measure up to its predecessors? Marvelously, I say. This is truly, inwardly, downwardly, righteously the definitive TPH album.

Some things I’d like to throw in here before continuing; I’m not a fan of programmed drums, but no other band on Earth, ever, in the history of music, made a drum sound more organic and perfect than TPH. And even then, I absolutely loved the fact that they got a real musician to play the drums (Daniel “Mojjo” Moilanen) in “In Hora Mortis Nostrae”. The sound was so greatly enriched, it almost brought tears to my eyes. Well, maybe not tears, but the back of my head certainly tingled. Secondly, I was also overjoyed when Evergrey’s Michael Håkansson was asked to join the ranks as bass player. To me, the band had finally reached its full-potential, and only masterpieces could come forth. What does that have to do with anything, then?

Well, the fact is, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned about this album when news came to me that both drummer and bass player had left the band. Well, the bass player didn’t leave, but he wouldn’t be available for the album, so for the meantime, that meant the same. A god damn tragedy, basically. Fortunately, and I’m really relieved and glad to say this here, they are not missed. I know that sounds cruel, but it’s the truth, harsh as it may be. I cannot believe how awesome the bass sounds on this album. It’s so fucking powerful and heavy, K really outdid himself here. Oh, and the drums? Meticulous, technically irreprehensible. Whoever you are, Mr. Thomas Ohlsson, thank you for existing and joining this band.

There is also another newcomer besides Thomas, a certain Anders Bertilsson, who plays guitars. And here is where, truly, the magic begins to happen. I don’t know what exactly he was responsible for in the guitar parts, and what was K, or what was both, or even which solos Mike Wead and Pär Fransson played (it says so on the booklet, but I’m not about to go and fucking check one by one), but the fact is that the overall guitar work is so improved, it’s ridiculous. There are some inspired and jaw-dropping solos here, which are absurdly tasteful and never overly-prolonged. The guitar work simply shines more than anything, through and through, and I cannot hold these 4 gents in higher regard because of that.

That leaves us with the vocals; well, I have no shame in saying that Jörgen Sandström, in my humble and useless opinion, is the most underrated vocalist in metal today. Only two growlers are leaps and bounds above the rest as far as I see it, and those two are Mikael Åkerfeldt and J. Everyone and their mother knows who Mikael is, because he is in motherfucking Opeth, the second coming of Christ as far as contemporary metalheads are concerned. As for J., he has been delivering perfect performance after perfect performance, album after album, and hardly anyone takes notice. Well, when he fills up to the brim in heroin because of a fucking depression, it’ll be on your collective asses, cockheads. And far from me wanting to overlook Jo Enckell, the delightful female vocalist. I’m also quite a fan of her work, not only on TPH, but also on “Siren On”. She gives a soulful performance, a truly mesmerizing voice and a talent to behold. It also helps (a real fucking lot, by the way) that the lyrics are amongst the best in the genre. Seriously, you wouldn’t think the folks who run/visit Global Domination do linguistic and historical research and take great care into writing lyrics, but they do. They totally do, and it shows.

Well, that’s certainly a lot of nut-riding and ass-kissing, is there anything you don’t like here, Euthanatos? Funny you should ask, as I myself wondered about this. As much as TPH has become one of my favorite bands, I always had a beef with their albums; the songs were too long. At least I thought so. I don’t know what it is about this album, if the songwriting really has evolved through the roof, or if I simply paid more attention to it because I had to review it, but listen to this with headphones, for instance; you will immediately change your perspective. It suddenly dawned upon me that TPH is not a band to listen to while you’re at a party, or driving your car. I mean, sure, you can listen to it then, but you won’t get the entirety of the music here, or on any of their albums for that matter. If you’re not paying attention, the little guitar details, the almost whispered vocal innuendos, the electronic passages (which are fantastic this time around), they all make a shitload more of sense. I’m telling you, it takes focus to appreciate “The Lustrate Process” in all of its glorious magnitude. So, with that in mind, it makes perfect sense that the songs are so long; there’s a lot to say (and to be heard). Not to mention the truckload of guest vocalists featured in this, something that greatly enhances the value of this work of art, in my mind. I’d like to mention my favorites, L.G. Petrov from Entombed, Johan Hegg from Amon Amarth and Christian Älvestam, formerly of Scar Symmetry. To have three powerhouses of that caliber in just one album boggles my brain. Let me just highlight one moment, in the brilliant “The Locust Principles”, where Jo sings “posses me”, followed by Christian singing majestically. The blood rushed to my cock so fast, I nearly passed out.

Finally, I’d like to point out that in past TPH records, I felt that one or two songs were really strong, and the rest, while still good, didn’t quite deliver the same punch to the gonads that left me as awestruck. This time around, we have 7 tracks that are all that, each one filled with enviable song-writing and catchy hooks. Lord K and Dan Swanö also did a masterful job at producing and mixing this baby, so extra-extra-extra brownie points there as well. All that is to say that, yes, this is the best album these fine people have ever done, released, packaged and sent into the comfort of your mold-ridden homes.

So, what else is there to say? Perfection, penis, touchdown? Certainly, and more. If there was an 11 grade, I’d give it. This ranks at the top of the 2009 crop, alongside Behemoth’s “Evangelion”.

What’s that you say? I’m being extra-fanboyish and benevolent because this is K’s band? Rubbish! I am deeply offended. I was paid good money for these praises. So there.

The cover: Well, I like it, and I don’t. I like it because it is a really good cover, but I’m not a fan much of photography for album covers, even when digitally manipulated. Furthermore, it reminds me too much of the Torture Division covers. Plus, the previous one was way cooler, so there’s that too.

Information
Released: 2009
Label: Vic Records
Website: www.theprojecthate.net
Band
Jörgen Sandström: vocals
Jo Enckell: vocals
Lord K. Philipson: guitars, keyboards, bass
Anders Bertilsson: guitars
Thomas Ohlsson: drums
Guests
Mike Wead: guitar solos
Pär Fransson: guitar solos
Martin van Drunen: vocals
Christian Älvestam: vocals
L.G. Petrov: vocals
Johan Hegg: vocals
Robban Eriksson: vocals

Tracklist
01. Descend Into The Pits Of Eternal Possession
02. You Come To Me Through Hell
03. See The Filth Become Flames In This Furnace
04. Our Wrath Will Rain Down From The Sky
05. The Locust Principles
06. Arise To His World Of Infamy
07. The Burial Of Gods

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