GATES TO HELL

Sometimes this planet is so stupid that eternal torment in the fires of Hell starts to seem like a reasonable proposition. GATES TO HELL may not be specifically dealing with mankind's descent into self-destructive madness on their debut album, but there is no mistaking the sound of a group of seriously pissed off individuals. The title "Death Comes to All" serves as a timely reminder that life is short, but in musical terms this is a resounding, wake-the-fuck up slap around the chops. GATES TO HELL deal in pummeling deathcore, with a nimble, metalcore twist, and songs that have no time to waste. Generally clocking in at under three minutes and nearly always leaving a nasty bruise, the likes of slam-happy opener "Rise Again" and the truly berserk "A Summoning" smash riffs together like broken bones, with an admirable focus on dropping grooves that will definitely encourage people to whack each other in the face.

"Death Comes to All" also scores highly when it comes to keeping things brief and bullshit-free. With ten songs in 22 minutes, GATES TO HELL are hardly spoiling us here, but how many of these explosive assaults does anyone really need in one sitting? A ruthless refusal to outstay their welcome ensures that this is a short, sharp shock to the system that will be easily and happily returned to on multiple occasions. There is a thick strain of lobotomized metallic hardcore festering in the Kentucky band's hive mind, which gives "Weeping In Pain" and "Next To Bleed" a muscularity that can often be lacking in out-and-out deathcore. Meanwhile, most of these songs take at least one twisted diversion, with bursts of angular math-rock and mutant thrash that mingle with the blasts and breakdowns. None of it is remotely subtle, of course, but then subtlety is of little use when you're trying to survive a violent circle pit. If the soundtrack to that circle pit is anything like "Crazed Killer" or "Locked Out", two surly, sub-two minute beat-'em-ups, then for Satan's sake, wear a helmet.

GATES TO HELL stick to their own nasty, myopic formula on "Death Comes to All", but the impact is sufficiently violent and uncompromising that it should be impossible to ignore.