ShacklesHatred’s Reservoir

The origins of metal and hard rock are littered with conservative parents trying to put an end to the ‘satanic’ and detrimental music which was influencing the minds of our already disenchanted youths.

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From angry parents and teachers being a common appearance in Twisted Sister videos, Mike Muir’s intensive argument with his mother in the Suicidal Tendencies Institutionalized video all the way to the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Centre), it seemed the older generation was trying to put an abrupt stop to this wayward genre.

If Shackles Hatred’s Reservoir was released in that era; not only would it have been a surefire inclusion to the infamous ‘filthy fifteen’; it would also of likely caused conservative parents to have a rage fuelled response similar to this bloke from Scanners.

Hatred’s Reservoir is assaulting heavy.

The sheer barbarity of Shackles’ music is something that even the most experienced metal listeners may take a moment to get used to. Lo-fi recording gives an early black metal feel to the recording, an era of bands famously using early computer microphones to track vocals. With metal being sub-categorised into so many genre’s Shackles feel like direct descendents of acts such as Morbid Angel and Death due to their blistering reliance of fast tempo blast-beats, double kicks and the hostile vocal approach of Ian Belshaw. As easily as this review could simply be compiled purely by using ‘synonyms of aggressive’, there are quite a few subtle technicalities thrown in between the wall of sound.

Considering Hatred’s Reservoir is Shackles first album since 2017’s Lifeless Paradise, it’ll deliver fans with a dose of what they have been missing whilst hopefully ushering in some new listeners to the more extreme side of metal. 

Ribcage Renovation has a surprising two-step drum pattern thrown in between chaotic blast beats and a slowed chugg riff to wind out. An approach also used in Beneath The Mask, which throws in a slowed down breakdown to finish the song with Joss Separovic’s intricate rim hits producing a metronomic feel. The wall of sound present throughout the album is almost as if death metal took a sharp left turn towards shoegaze. With Propagandists Demise starting with the pace of black metal before opening into a brutal sludge breakdown. That’s not comparing it to The Melvins, it’s more akin to Iron Monkey’s brand of sludge.

An approach also adopted for The Discarded Sheath of Politic… with it’s slower style and utilisation of samples allowed the track to extend moments of isolated drums and guitar harmonics. Considering Hatred’s Reservoir is Shackles first album since 2017’s Lifeless Paradise, it’ll deliver fans with a dose of what they have been missing whilst hopefully ushering in some new listeners to the more extreme side of metal. 

STANDOUT TRACKS: Beneath The Mask, In The Absence Of, The Discarded Sheath Of Politic…        
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