Three albums and a mini-CD into their career Danish force Hatesphere is thrashing along. And I have never personally experienced any of their music. Hmm, did I miss much or no big loss? Thus, I have thanked the circumstances when The Killing EP landed in my player to provide a brief introduction to the band highly lauded not only in their native Denmark but all across Europe. Would this EP make me wait anxiously for the next full-length and seek the old albums in retrospective or would the “unknown” status quo happily remain?

The opener Murderous Intent, even though thrashing along in spots, somehow created the more modern commercial impression, treading somewhere on late In Flames territory. This is perhaps due to the very prominent main riff repeated often, or perhaps I just didn’t hear it right. Never mind, ‘cause the rest of the songs left no doubt. Hatesphere is honest, technical, groovy and melodic death/thrash metal of Swedish descent, firmly planted at the intersection of The Crown and Dismember. Speedier numbers (beginning of You’re the Enemy and The Will of God) exercise the neck muscles in one endless headbang and Jacob Bredahl is a screamier version of Matti Karki. On this EP, at least, Hatesphere does not exersize many leads, the most prominent coming on Suicidal Tendencies cover Trip at the Brain. Veering off the beaten path, that solo could have come off Hate Campaign, however. The band is not afraid to go with a slower and doomier ending on You’re the Enemy and change tempos on The Will of God.

If in need of a swift and sweet kick in the ass, I can wholeheartedly recommend this small piece of groovy brutality, maybe not the most of original, but done real well. This EP certainly does nothing to dissuade me from searching back into the band’s discography. Tommy and Jacob Hansen at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark are becoming very proficient at this type of sound, putting their own trademark on the genre (Yyrkoon). They made The Killing EP sound both raw and modern at the same time, drawing in both old time death metal fans and younger thrash aficionados.