Review Summary: An early release that shows glimpses of things to come.
Before Pathogen’s debut album
Bloodline was released, the band had two demos circulating throughout the Western Australian metal scene. The first,
Tyranny of Hatred, was released in 1996, and the second,
Nightfall, was released the next year. The one thing that the band can most definitely pride itself on is the fact that they have the ability to make some incredibly melodic music. The album
Bloodline is evidence of this, and as early as 1996 we can see the band leaning towards the acoustic-laden style of melo-death they would later employ.
Tyranny of Hatred begins and ends with songs re-recorded for
Bloodline, but the middle 4 tracks are not on the album which makes this a worthwhile find for any fan.
The first thing to note is that the vocalist at the time of
Bloodline, Mike Lenane, is not on this demo. Cain Cressal, who is now again Pathogen’s vocalist, was at the helm during these early years. As accomplished as he is now, I can definitely say that his voice has come a long way. He employs two different tones on the demo, a high screech and a low growl. The growl is not too brilliant, but he occasionally does get it right. Generally however, it sounds quite lame. His highs, on the other hand, are more in line with how he sounds now, and are quite well done. There are moments when both vocal types are used in unison, but these were not anything too special.
Unlike Bloodline, where acoustics were used at every possible moment, Tyranny of Hatred uses them very sparingly, which is unfortunately to the album’s disadvantage. One of the best things about the band is their use of acoustic sections, and even though they are used on Tyranny of Hatred, they aren’t used enough. The band is, to say the least, somewhat concerned with melody, which is evident in most of the songs, but again, not to the extent of Bloodline. We’re able to see the progression though, especially when you consider their next demo.
The production is surprisingly good, when you take into account the time it was recorded and the fact that it was independently recorded. The tone is still quite low and slightly hollow sounding, but everything is clear and very listenable. When compared to their next release, the production on Tyranny of Hatred is superb (or at least bearable).
Unfortunately for the band, most people won’t get a chance to listen to this. It was released only on tape, and was not re-released on CD or had any other editions made. Still, with four different songs, the demo is a good listen for fans of the band, if they manage to get their hands on it.
