While metal has splintered off into countless directions and styles over the years, the one thing that generally unites the genre is aggression. Sometimes it is brooding and methodical and at others it comes in the form of a snarling wild animal clawing and goring everything in its path. With their third release "Ballet Of The Brute", Danish outfit Hatesphere are unquestionably the latter, delivering an inspired thrash meets death metal hybrid that settles for no less than an unholy aural bloodbath.

Melding technical prowess with frenzied intensity, the band bash out a reckless blend of Euro-styled metal that recalls the likes of The Haunted, Carnal Forge and Dark Tranquility, yet remains far more rougher around the edges. It's this wantonness that really sets the band apart from said acts, allowing them to step it up and attack their material with unbridled fervor. Ultimately what the band hack out is a brand of thrash metal not far removed from that of some of Sweden's finest exports. But the elements of concise death metal shredding present give it a slightly more refined edge, segueing nicely into the more stout melodic parts.

In turn, the listener is treated to a dynamic display of butchery from a band who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty. The songs have a solid progression and unleash a veritable battery of pummeling drums and shred-heavy riffs. Coupled with throaty barks, screams and virile choruses, the group exercise enough primal hostility and variation to leave some pretty gruesome looking scars. Unfortunately however, there's about 800 other bands who have also recently looked to Sweden lately for their inspiration as well, leaving a lot of the elements of this album sounding a lot less unique than they could be. The band do counter this with a fairly unrestrained performance (see their hidden covers of Ozzy Osbourne and Anthrax that are included on the disc), but it's not like "Ballet Of The Brute" is blazing any new trails. Even so, there's no denying that Hatesphere have put their heart and soul into this recording and have unleashed a ruthlessly enjoyable metal release in the process, and one would be hard-pressed to find a fault in that.