Broken Hope

Loathing (Metal Blade)
by Scott Hefflon

It could be argued that, if a band has mind-blowing production, even if they’re amazingly nondescript, they’ll sound good. At times it’s hard to tell if a given song by Broken Hope is actually doing anything particularly interesting, but hell, it sure sounds like it’s taking the world by storm. Double bass drumming that’s so crisp it’s like teeth chattering, guitars that seem to solo incessantly rather than crank out power chords (and the squawking harmonics and riffing in thirds certainly doesn’t hurt), and a demon-belch vocalist that, while he only “sings” about three different notes throughout the 11 songs, sounds really big and scary no matter which of those three notes he happens to be wringing to death. And, perhaps most surprising of all, is the increasing number of good-god-are-we-brutal-and-grinding bands who are coming out of the closet as guitar wank soloist of the highest order. While I have no idea how big a crossover market there is between Steve Vai and gorecore, all appropriate persons should find something to like about Loathing.