Handful of Hate - Adversus

If there is one thing I really like about the second wave of Black Metal bands is the despair that their vocals pass. I guess that from all human emotion that Black Metal gathers, despair is one of the strongest. Despair is also followed by his brother anguish. Both are permanent feelings in all modern Black Metal bands. Handful of Hate with “Adversus” are no different. Even better because Handful of Hate are the real deal as the band was formed in 1993. However, “Adversus” is only the 7th in their twenty-six year career. This world is tough and fair, I must say.

The seventh is always a special number, and Handful of Hate do it very well in “Adversus,” an album that makes all black metallers full of pride. “Adversus” is strong and blasphemous as it should be. “Adversus” isn’t strong because of fast and ferocious tracks as “Toward the Fallen Ones (Psalms to Discontinuity)” with its machine gun drumming, but also because of tracks as “Thorns to Redemption (Gemendo Germinat)” which shows all the despair, anguish, and fear that there lots of them in this sad and lonely planet. “Thorns to Redemption (Gemendo Germinat)” is open and frank as only Black Metal songs can be. It’s possible to feel them all over the notes and the blood that spills throughout it. And there are lots of blood spilling from all over “Adversus.” But, from all tracks, there is “Idols to Hung” whose catchy and thrash’n’roll initial riff is iconic. The paradox with all the album is here for whom wants to see. “Idols to Hung’s” title says a lot about Metal’s philosophy. If memory serves me right, Metal is the rebellion inside the rebellion. Make no mistake, Metal is made to be against all the organized order whatever it may be. Metal is never conservative, Metal is always the opponent. Never forget that. Handful of Hate teach us that very well in “Adversus.” No concessions, no innocents, no saints, only sinners.