Eighteen years in and Hate Eternal still know how to release some of the best damn death metal around. Not that they needed to prove it with their sixth full length, Infernus. Believe it or not, the album actually has more in common with the fury of their debut, Conquering the Throne than it does with their last release, Phoenix Amongst the Ashes. It feels more like a return to the sonic blitzkrieg that Rutan & Co. are so good at.

After bringing on a new bassist, J.J. Hrubovcak, last time out, Hate Eternal welcome drummer Chason Westmoreland to the fold here on Infernus. And with this new blood, the band seems reinvigorated. All the technicality the band’s been known for over the years is still here, but it comes across more brutally than it has in some time — if not ever.

Opener “Locust Swarm” gets the blood pumping with swift blast beats and insanely fast riffing. True to the song’s name, the different layers of vocal effects move against one another, making it sound like Rutan’s windpipe been overrun with insects. “The Stygian Deep” follows suit with an almost melodic drum section over an ear-piercing fret hold towards the end of the track. Two songs in and it’s obvious the band hasn’t lost a step since 2011.

“La Tempestad” absolutely roars out of the gate, and recalls the sound and feel of King of All Kings almost note for note which is in no way a bad thing, rather it has one upped the predecessor. Later, the title track begins with a spoken passage that sounds like Satan himself is delivering the address, before then fading into a slower tempo reminiscent of old Morbid Angel. It’s as muddy as anything, and even though the pace is slower, Westmoreland doesn’t let up on the skins. There’s also a nice bit of melody in this track, which serves as both a break in the action and a build on the epic feel of the album as a whole.

The album closes out with three more tracks of nuclear-infused death metal and one instrumental, “Chaos Theory,” that sees the band truly stretch its black wings and jam. The bass drives a hard line throughout and keeps the whole song glued together. If death metal had jam bands this song would be their mascot.

With Infernus, Hate Eternal have turned out one of their best outings. With a bit more time to take it in, it might even end up being the cream of their crop. The album fully captures — and exceeds — the intensity of their early work, and doesn’t waste one second of its 45 minutes. Not bad for a group in year number eighteen.

-Josh

Infernus will be available August 21st on Season of Mist. For more information on Hate Eternal, visit the band’s official website.