Review Summary: A fairly unique thrash album which is more melodic than the typical effort, while retaining the harsh biting edge the genre is famous for.
Coming in during the dying days of thrash metal,
Cyclone Temple were doomed to fail from the very beginning. Rising from the ashes of an already obscure thrash band,
Znowhite, Cyclone Temple coughed up two albums before disbanding, left to fade into obscurity. Fortunately, the internet exists, and they have received recognition for the quality releases that were all but ignored in their time. The first of these albums,
I Hate Therefore I Am is a rather unique album in that it features more melodic influences while still being abrasive and aggressive enough to entertain hardcore thrashers.
The first thing one will notice upon listening to this album is the more melodic influences. Brian Troch's vocal performance is rather soothing and adds an emotional edge to the album, while still being harsh enough to contribute to the sections of pure thrashing. Many tracks begin with a softer segment, or have slower passages laced within. Tracks such as the stellar
Words Are Just Words or the album opener
Why showcase these qualities melded together expertly, and create an enthralling experience for the listener. However, the band does not rely on these sections as a crutch, as proven by
Silence So Loud, which is a thoroughly entertaining 4 and a half minutes of pure speedy, crunchy goodness.
As mentioned, the melodic elements are not the only thing this album has going for it. Anybody searching for just plain quick and harsh headbanging music will not be disappointed either. Riffs are everywhere, and each song is distinctive enough that they are easily distinguished from one another as they power along each song with their crushing force. Musicianship is nothing particularly special, but the album works better without moving into wank, and still showcases instances of impressive playing on tracks such as
March For Me, Die For Me, proving that the composition is simply restrained, rather than going overboard.
It is quite unfortunate that I Hate Therefore I Am had faded into obscurity and went ignored by the general public for so long, as it is an impressive effort that is under-appreciated and quite enjoyable. As one of the dying beacons of light from the then-dwindling thrash metal genre, I Hate Therefore I Am is an album which should not be missed, as it has been for so many years.
Highlights:
Why
Words Are Just Words
Silence So Loud
