SINISTER – Hate / Bastard Saints

Dutch Old School Death Metallers, Sinister, stepped into the middle of the 1990s, a period of time that many thought was Metal’s short-lived downfall, where they became even more technical while showing amazing skills of attacking rhythms of pure carnage. As Diabolical Summoning became a success in 1993, two years afterwards, in a lineup of trio, Sinister unleashed Hate, which developed into being the answer to the modernity that swarmed Death Metal and Metal in general. After Hate and coming back into a four piece, Sinister kept on working and writing and a year later they released another great Old School release by the name of Bastard Saints, an EP that concluded the first era of Sinister.

Hate

In a time when Metal started to leap a bit and its strength and influence from the 80s weakened, Sinister didn’t back down. They kept on doing their own thing as a pioneer band in the Old School Death Metal scene and even went on to become much technical than before.

In comparison to the first two albums, Cross The Styx and Diabolical Summoning, Sinister presented masterful skills of constructive riffs and rhythms with a somewhat progressive sense that was unlike their earlier tunes. Bart Van Wallenburg, who served as the bass player on Diabolical Summoning, had taken charge of both bass and guitars. Judging from the tunes, this guy was almost unbelievable with his high rated skills of hammering out those great riffs and prog like passages of raw Death Metal. With Bart’s amazing touches, Hate had a great potential to be a well done album, however, it fell short of his previous offering, Diabolic Summoning.

What is most peculiar is that Hate presented a far better Mike van Mastrigt on the vocals and a high quality of a production with more or less the same characteristics as Death’s Spiritual Healing, the fact is that this one fell under its former was because of two reasons. First, the lack of solos, or a better to state it, a somewhat ignorance from playing solos since they always existed in past material. Secondly, the songs’ structures, even with all the hordes of inventiveness by the members, they are too much alike. The best example of this is the choruses, they are almost identical between the majority of the tunes. So it means that in Hate you can easily predict the format of the chorus.

Aside from that, Hate is not a failure or weak album in any way, it’s got guts and it’s got power and it stands as an illustration on how to form great Death Metal riffs to the upcoming modernity.

Highlights: “To Mega Therion”, “Embodiment Of Chaos”, “Unseen Darkness”, “The Bloodfeast”.

Bastard Saints

This small EP has a rather important role in Sinister’s history. The coming of Bastard Saints marked the end of an era for the Dutch Metallers. After the EP, the founding member of Sinister, the original vocalist Mike van Mastrigt left the band. In addition, the EP was handed out as dedication for the late drummer of the American Thrashers, Demolition Hammer, who died from poisoning on that same year.

When it comes to the material on Bastard Saints, it’s going to get tougher and rougher. Under more enhanced production than before, the music is amazing as it drills with their Old School specialty of creating good old Death Metal. The band went back to being a foursome group as Bart, the guitarist, had more time on perfecting and recharging the notes of two of Sinister’s classic tracks in the image of “Epoch Of Denial” and “Cross The Styx”. These two refineries turned out to be greater than ever both musically and vocally. Beyond that, the solos and leads are back with the new tracks “Bastard Saints” and “Rebels Dome”. Without a doubt these parts, however short they are, marked great high end standouts as true fillers to the brutal rhythms.

Bastard Saints was a great farewell note to a great vocalist and a true pioneer, who was leading a very much-underrated group in the world Metal scene.

Highlights: “Cross The Styx”, “Epoch Of Denial” and “Bastard Saints”

Add-Ons

Metal Mind Records, as the sole label who is in charge of rereleasing Sinister’s old albums, have done great on rearranging and remastering this old piece of music. With the remastered release, Metal Mind is giving you the chance to experience more of Sinister’s live endeavors with four additional tracks from various sets in Sinister’s past.