Released 40 years ago
Hate, Fear and Power
Hirax · 1986
16 min · 8 tracks · thrash metal
Furious thrash metal riffs collide with raw, aggressive vocals, embodying the chaos and urgency of its socio-political themes.
Top tracks — play these first
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Hate, Fear and Power — The title track encapsulates the album's thematic exploration of societal violence and personal struggle through aggressive instrumentation and direct lyrics.
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Blind Faith — This track features relentless riffs and a frenzied tempo that exemplify Hirax's thrash roots while critiquing blind allegiance to authority.
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Unholy Sacrifice — With its fast-paced rhythm and provocative lyrics, this song highlights the band's ability to blend aggression with thought-provoking content regarding moral dilemmas.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The EP showcases aggressive thrash metal with politically charged lyrics but lacks significant variation in structure.
What we noticed
- The opening track features a rapid tempo with aggressive guitar riffs and intense drumming, setting a furious tone for the EP.
- Vocals are delivered in a raw, shouting style that matches the urgency of the lyrical themes, which focus on socio-political issues.
- Each track maintains a consistent level of intensity, with no significant tempo changes or ballads to provide contrast.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- furious bursts of energy
- cathartic aggression release
- short, intense listening experience
- urgent themes of chaos
- for high-energy moments
Maybe skip if you
- prefer longer, immersive albums
- seek soothing background music
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in January 1986, 'Hate, Fear and Power' was Hirax's debut album, marking their entry into the thrash metal scene. At this point, the band was still establishing their identity amid a rapidly evolving genre dominated by acts like Metallica and Slayer.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Municipal Waste· Sodom· Toxic Holocaust
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Hate, Fear and Power 0:30
- 2 Blind Faith 2:54
- 3 Unholy Sacrifice 2:09
- 4 Lightning Thunder 2:04
- 5 The Last War 2:30
- 6 The Plague 1:55
- 7 Imprisoned by Ignorance 1:59
- 8 Criminal Punishment 2:01
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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