Review Summary: From the very first guttural growl and hectic drumming you know you are in for one hell of a non-stop beatdown.
From the very first track on the album "Hollow" you know you are in for a decent listen. Already this is the sound of a band who have evolved. The non-stop beatdown is everything you will of hoped for if you are a fan of HOAC. I must say the final breakdown on "hollow" is like being smashed in the face with a steel pipe. Just the type of breakdown you wait for when you go to a show to throw down your ***.
With their previous efforts i have always found HOAC have lacked something and i could never really put my finger on it, but listening to this album its become clear they were lacking a proper identity in a scene thats inundated with mediocre bands. "Miscreation" has some moments that remind me slightly of Mesuggah, mainly the rhythms and time signatures. the cleans have dramatically improved from their previous effort.
Going back to it this album is full of breakdowns coupled with a fair few technically pleasing riffs and varied time signatures. A decent example of this is the two punch combo of "turmoil 1 - Wolves" and "turmoil 2 - the weak inherit the earth". As the former kicks in the change from the previous songs is quite dramatic, the guitarists appear to of taken some what of an easy route on this track with the drums and the constantly strong vocals pulling it along.. of course though it still has an awesome Bro-down... i mean breakdown with a proper two step rhythm.
All in all this album is decent progress for a band who as of yet have struggled to find their way. if they can carry on with the same sound they have created on Deliverance i believe that the future could hold a bright spark in the form of this band. i just hope they continue to forge an identity for themselves and don't become lost in a scene that chews bands up and spits them out like telemarketing companies.
