Quickie: Sinister – Hate (1996)

Frankly, for being relatively high up on the “brutality” scale, this is suprisingly accessible death metal. It’s probably a result of the occasional grooves and frequent attention to melody. Note how this is not of the Gothenburg persuasion, but instead belongs to the sort of songwriting inspired by bands like Death and Pestilence – the melodies are most likely monophonic, so you don’t have any harmonies floating around to say “HERP DERP THIS IS A MELODIC SECTION”.

Of course, the largest exception comes in the middle of “Awaiting the Absu”, when the tempo has dropped to a crawl and a wave of acoustic guitars jump in and say hello (they return on “Art of the Damned”). This is significant by virtue of being one of the very few aesthetic changes on the album. In this respect, Sinister sticks to crunchy, percussive death metal.

It’s all about execution, frankly. Sinister isn’t nearly as well known as the Suffocations, Cannibal Corpses, Deicides of the world, but this (and allegedly Diabolical Summoning, but I can’t affirm that one) quite the competence. In a substyle that relies on rhythmic expectation, Sinister does very well, but it’s the increased attention to melody and riffwriting beyond pure bludgeoning heaviness that puts them ahead of the flock. Some of this gets mindbogglingly catchy and creative (case in point). The intro riff from “Awaiting the Absu”, the first midpaced riff from “Embodiment of Chaos”, the entirety of “To Mega Therion” are good starting points.

Later on, in a bid for popularity, they hired Rachel Van Mastrigt-Heyzer for two albums. As usual, no experience, no affirmations. I’m guessing it didn’t work, though, since Sinister are relatively unknown within the  underground. With albums like this, of course, it’s kind of a shame.