Hatchet Dawn have got the blend pretty much spot on in Rebirth. It’s heavy, it’s groovin’, it’s theatrical and it contains just the right amounts of beautiful but slightly discordant melody (check out the dark but gorgeous chorus of The Catacombs). And underlying it all is that feeling of darkness, dread and terror that is akin to what you feel when watching your watching favourite horror film. In fact, the whole thing plays out like some crazy slasher flick, and one gets the very distinct feeling that this is exactly what Hatchet Dawn intended.
The production is deliberately kept slightly raw, which adds to the live and authentic vibe of the record, and the musicianship is spot on, although the instrumentation serves almost purely to support the dynamic and varied vocals of singer Bert Cuzens.
Rebirth should go down as a haunting masterpiece of Australian heavy music, and they certainly back it up in a live setting. This band is a ‘must check out’ if you dig any kind of gothic tinged heavy music whatsoever.
Best Track: The Catacombs
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Marilyn Manson, Mudvayne, Wednesday 13
In A Word: Scary
