I was pretty disappointing with the latest Hatebreed record, and thusly it left a void in my metal psyche that was craving some pure beatdown hardcore. So when this showed up in my promo emails, citing Hatebreed and as a bonus, The Acacia Strain, I thought I’d give it a listen. And beat down hard core it is. Rotting Empire is a churning metallic hardcore explosion littered with HUG breakdowns that cements The Acacia Strain name drop.
There’s not much to expand on really. It’s beefy, metallic hardcore akin to Hatebreed with angry vocals, but it’s efficient, effective and at times, heavy as all get out, especially when the band steps over into more deathcore, deeper vocal, rumbling breakdown territory. The 8 songs in 25 minute beat down is no nonsense, pure anger, and mixes East Coast hardcore with more double bass driven, metal inspired acts of the mid 00s (All Out War, Walls of Jericho, Martyr AD, Strife), etc) with its bug burly, metallic take on hardcore as tracks like “Summoning Spirits”, “Choke”, and more grinding “Human Sacrifice”show with aggressive mosh inducing, runaway train paced competence.
But when band step it up into a little heavier realm, it’s even more impressive. Parts of “Profit Hostage”,”Empty Tombs” and “Snuff Out the Light” are downright heavy and penultimate track “Looming Serpent” is utterly devastating. These guys along with the reactivated On Broken Wings have both delivered a throwback beatdown that has me pulling out my camo shorts and ankle socks again.
