If one was looking for old school death metal, Peru wouldn't be the first place to search for it, would it? Some raw and non-modern bands surely come from there, such as Mortem and Anal Vomit, but the country's musical legacy is still a big terra incognita for me (Kranium is one of them familiar bands to me).

I was browsing a mail order catalogue, and decided to try Fervent Hate that was listed on. Its familiar sound that mainly seemed to consist of early 1990s Swedish death metal style, impressed me enough to order this platter, which is the band's debut full-length one. What impressed me more was its variety and total worship of cool things, that happened in death metal scenes around the world in 1980s and 1990s!

The album starts in vein of Swedish death metal in vein of Dismember, Edge Of Sanity and Grave. Down tuned juggernaut rhythm and bass guitars over mid-paced driving drumming, you know? But soon a Hammond organ is presented and the music flips into a more psychedelic mood à la Gorefest's or Cathedral's more rocking personifications. And on 'Alcoholic Preacher' the band zooms into death metal era Xysma and such terrains. Remember how you might have hated that when death metal got added some more rocking traits? Yeah, but it's no news any more and we're too fucking old anyway, so... I do not wonder, if some of them bands wanted to try something a bit different back in the day, when loads sounded similar...

The pace mostly fluctuates between mid-paced and old school blasting. The title track, 'Fear of Mind' and 'Temples of Flesh' enter the vibes of early Amon Amarth and more melodic Dismember. This is some of the best ever Swedish death metal mimicking I've heard. These songs are so catchy, and even today sound damn fresh, believe me. Slower version of this is 'All Those Lies', which contains quite a melancholic, yet not gently, ambiance. 'The Collector' the doomiest piece here, with its string stretching and murky vibe.

The vocals are rather varying. Lower growls remind me of Septic Flesh style barking, or more raspy grunting. Then there are more high-pitched, demonic spitting. And of course, both simultaneously. They are powerful and spiteful, and sound good here.

Guys can play for sure, even though this is, and should be far, from a technical wankery. Still, there are a few great exhibitions of their skills here and there, e.g. a flashy guitar solo or drum acrobatics. They are able to write varying, catchy and interesting songs, but also straight battering rams of songs. The biggest, and the only true, frailty about the album is its production job. It does not pack enough punch. It sounds like a professional work, but for some reason the lower sound levels, on guitars especially, are not there. Drums kick the most, but generally it sounds a bit too lightweight. The balancing of instruments and vocals is fine, and it has a feeling of space.

All in all, 'Roads of Insanity' was a lucky find. It's a small gem in old school death metal worshipping realms. It is not a predictable of it could be, thankfully, but a cool listen throughout. Fervent Hate were able to bring in something of their own on it. If that's not enough, then what is?

Rating: 7½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
02/02/2017 18:35