Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Hyde Abbey Hall of Shame Company: Suspiria Records Release: 2012 Genre: Death Reviewer: ChaosLord

One solid unit of ultimate metal machination

Spain's Hyde Abbey was unknown to me until a copy of Hall of Shame found it's way into my stack of albums to review. Upon the opening of the album, I was hooked immediately. This album features heavy, crushing, groove-laden riffs and is one of the catchiest I have heard in a while. I found myself growling the tunes after I'd had a listen or two to each song.

The guitar work, solo wise, was pretty solid albeit a little absent throughout the album. I would have liked to have heard more solos to have an idea exactly what the guitarists were capable of talent wise. But if their riffing and catchy hooks are any indication, then I am sure they are more than capable of churning out some solid solos.

Vocally the band sports lots of grunts, belching vox and pig squealing that surprisingly is done with a bit of flair, with neither style being overdone at all. One of the biggest hang ups for me in regards to grindcore and deathcore bands are the overuse of the pig squeals or the belching vocals. I tend to find that too much of either style or both in some bands' stylings tends to really overshadow the music and the album as a whole. But Hyde Abbey has found the perfect balance of crazy vocals to use that allows them to actually be complementary to the album as a whole.

The production on the album is solid and well done throughout allowing each element to be heard on its own and then melding them together into one solid unit of ultimate metal machination. Standout songs on the album are "God, Pray For Plagues" "The Collar" "Scream, Slap, Snuff" and "As Alive As A Corpse".

This band was a pleasant find and one that has remained in my musical rotation since falling into my lap. I feel that this band has a very bright future and am excited to see what their next release offers. If you are out searching for metal at your local music store and come across this album, be thankful that you stumbled across it and pick it up without hesitation.