Metal is designed to be as harsh as possible without severing the connection to the utmost anger in the lyrics that so define the genre anymore. Eschaton Hive is an Australian project that blends Metal and industrial to create a very thrashing and malevolent album. And, for their first album titled after the band itself, 'Eschaton Hive' does a swell job showing us what the proclaimed four survivors of the apocalypse can bring back from the future.

The band definitely pulls most, if not all, its influence from metal. "Pandemic" and "Eschatonation" are prime examples of this, delivering full on assaults of harsh screams and guitar riffs that explode our ears from time to time. Thrash metal also takes a stand on this album in the form of "I'm Ur Stalker". And, without a doubt, to me, that is the most harsh song on the album.

Speeding through high pitched notes and fast paced guitar work, combined with the vicious vocals that only the Hive can bring us, this track became an instant classic to me.

Now, as odd as it may be in an album as heavy as this, there were times when the album slowed down. Such as in the song "Warpz[o]ne", the fifth track of the album. However, it serves its purpose well; warpzones are supposed to be quick loops in time that you can travel through to reach a destination faster. And, well,the song does this. It's only a minute instrumental that practically serves as a transport from one harsh song to the next.

One song that threw me off, not because of the musical implementations, but because of the second set of vocals, was "Zombie Attack Plan". You have the usual screaming, combined with another voice that is nasty, but just doesn't really fit in well with everything else that Eschaton Hive has shown on us on this release.

So, with a few stragglers aside, this is a decent release. I would have preferred to see more differentiation in the album rather than the screaming and the guitars that trembled throughout the album. That's not to say that I did not enjoy the work on the album; it merely suggests that there should be more to it. I can actually say that I love this album, and while it's not excellent, I still find myself liking it a little too much; this release might serve to be a cult hit in my own book.

Steven Gullota / 25th May 2013
www.brutalresonance.com/review/eschaton-hive-eschaton-hive/

This self-titled album from the post-apocalyptic industrial metal outfit from Australia has been out for a while now and it's a shame it hasn't got the attention it deserves. The band mix the mask and pseudonym formula of The Berzerker's early years with a much more accessible form of heavy, industrial metal.

Frantic guitar riffs, distorted death metal-esque vocals, grinding synths and a hell of a lot of samples barrage the listener on tracks like 'Duck N Cover', 'Escahtonation' and 'Want. Need. Have'. However the band are not afraid to mix things up on tracks like 'Warpz[o]ne', 'Pandemic' and '...And Then Til Now', which get experimental with structures and genres with great effect. The album's shining moment though comes in the form of 'Zombie Attack Plan' which manages to blend these twos side of the band perfectly and channels the band's chaotic energy into what will surely become a signature song for the band.
The production is a little rough and ready for the most part. With so much distortion and harsh synths bombarding the speakers, the album veers too close to sounding like white noise in a few places. Yet where the songs have room to breathe, particularly on the more drum, bass and keyboard orientated songs like 'Warpz[o]ne', the band sound perfectly balanced. A nip, tuck and tweak here and there would add an extra sheen to their sound without a doubt.

Eschaton Hive have a lot going for them. They have the look, the characters and the talent to take their concept to an international audience. And while the album is essentially a first step to solidify their domestic status, it should serve to pique the interests of more than a few people overseas as well.

Sean Palfrey / 16th January 2013
www.intravenousmag.co.uk/2013/01/review-eschaton-hive-eschaton-hive.html