After journeying into the often unfortunate territory of depressive/suicidal black metal on the last two full-length albums, Greece’s Dodsferd return to a more traditional style while essentially ditching the suffocating self pity with an newly invigorated and furious vitriol on new album Spitting with Hatred the Insignificance of Life. 

Dodsferd’s material before simpering off towards the suicide ward was always marked by a strong hard-rock influence that was enjoyably effective and organic sounding as opposed to the often pandering or watered down quality much “black and roll” metal devolves into.  Spitting With Hatred starts off with “The Hate Goes On” a track that really exemplifies Wrath’s knack for this type of traditionally structured, rock based material.  Very reminiscent of the amazing “…and Disease was Spread in a Matter of Seconds” from the excellent album Fucking Your Creation, “The Hate Goes On” and its simply incredible main riff has quickly become my favorite Dodsferd track. 

“Praying in Vain Under the Shrine of Your God” and characteristically charmingly titled album closer “A Pile of Shit; the Only Hope of Your World” introduce some interesting clean vocals and a bit of slight post-rock styling reminding of recent material by bands like Wolves in the Throne Room, Winterfylleth, and even perhaps a less spasmodic Krallice.  It’s on this track, however, that we run into a problem involving song length that has followed the band throughout their career.  As stated before, Dodsferd is at its best when succinct in attack.  When the song lengths start getting up to the 12-15 minute range, they often end up overstaying their welcome by about half.  It isn’t as huge a problem on this album as it has been in the past, but the two longest tracks here could easily have been halved without sacrificing anything, but at least there aren’t any marathon tracks of weeping to endure here.

Elsewhere on the album we’re reminded on blackened D-beat burner “Your Kingdom was Built in a Lie” of just how maniacal a front man Wrath really is, possessing a unique ability to convey an inconceivable, uncontrollable hatred through his vocals, sounding absolutely consumed by his rage.  This is by no means an easy listen, but Dodsferd has crafted a really solid album of traditional black metal with some subtle updates for the modern time.    

TRACK LISTING

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*Comments:

1.  The Hate Goes On
2.  Praying in Vain Under the
     Shrine of Your God
3.  Your Kingdom was Built in a Lie
4.  Preaching Death and Destruction
5.  Spitting with Hatred the
      Insignificance of Life
6.  A Pile of Shit; the Only Hope
     of Your World

Total playing time:  55:29

Release Date: March 21, 2011
Label: Moribund Cult Records

Dodsferd - Spitting with Hatred, The Insignificance of Life

May 6, 2011

Reviewer: J. A. Burt