HATRED REIGNS

track-list:
Awaken The Ancients
Pain Leads To Nothingness
To Depths Unknown
Obsolarium
Ushered By Charon
Planes Divide
Absentia
Departing Acheron

recorded at DMS Studios (May 2021 – Apr 2022)
mixed & master by Mitchi Dimitriadis at Dark Moon Productions (Oct – Dec 2023)

Hatred Reigns are:
Mitchi Dimitriadis – vocals
Jeff Calder – guitars
Neil Grandy – drums
Adam Semler – bass, vocals

discography:
2023 – Awaken The Ancients – LP
2018 – Realm I: Affliction – EP

No Clean Singing (2018 – Realm I: Affliction – EP):
“’Planes Divide’ vividly reveals the band’s ability to join together murderous brutality and impressive technical fireworks.“
Necromannce (2018 – Realm I: Affliction – EP):
“And once again Canada is the country chosen to make me enjoy with the most technical death metal, this time in a more brutal and devastating side, although perhaps less surprising but much more neck-breaking.”
Spirit Level Magazine (2018 – Realm I: Affliction – EP):
“The high pitched screams send shivers down our spine and the crushing finale feels as though we are slowly being dragged down into hell.“
Eternal Terror (2018 – Realm I: Affliction – EP):
“Hatred Reigns alerts us to the arrival of another innovative, brutal and exciting death metal band from Canada”

For fans of Cryptopsy, Suffocation, Origin, Carcass, Behemoth

Embark on a Sonic Odyssey with ‘Awaken The Ancients’.
Prepare to be transported on an unparalleled auditory journey with Hatred Reigns’ upcoming release ‘Awaken The Ancients’ set to unleash its sonic might on December 1, 2023.
‘Awaken The Ancients’ is not just an album, it’s a conceptual epic that traverses uncharted realms of sound and emotion.
The album’s narrative follows a protagonist grappling with oppressive forces, leading to a summoning of the ancients who rise to liberate the tormented from their prolonged suffering.
Plunged into an endless abyss, the tormented emerge upon a desolate shore, surrounded by aimless souls.
In a quest for liberation, the damned are ferried across by Charon who must navigate treacherous planes, confronting challenges from demons above and lurking waters below.
Their odyssey takes them across the enigmatic river Styx, lured by the ancients towards Necropia, where ultimate judgment awaits.
Lyrically, the album is divided into 2 realms:
Realm I: Affliction (4 songs) and Realm II: Affirmation (4 songs)
Hatred Reigns:
“Unleashing an infernal symphony of brutality and precision! Our music is a testament to the raw power and intricate craftsmanship that defines death metal. Each member has their own barrage of styles and influences which created the unique twist that is Hatred Reigns. Sonically, we’ve been told we sound like Origin, Suffocation, Hideous Divinity, and much more. The face-melting riffs and licks that Jeff brings to the table, along with Mitchi’s enigmatic vocals, pairs perfectly with the aggression and agility of Neil’s grinds and gravity blasts with Adam on the low end making heads pop. Combined with their untamed raw energy from their live performances creates a formula that’s going to shift tectonic plates.”
‘Awaken The Ancients’:
“In a world where the forces of power wield their influence over the masses and various factions rise in rebellion, a hidden force emerges. The Ancients, beings of age-old wisdom and insight, remain concealed yet vigilant, observing the turmoil that engulfs the populace. They are attuned to the potential futures that unfold, especially those of the tormented souls who question their destined path amidst the anguish.”
‘Pain Leads To Nothingness’:
“Our central character succumbs to the overwhelming forces that surround them, departing from this existence in a blaze of spectacular finality. This dramatic exit is precisely as they had wished and planned.”
‘To Depths Unknown’:
“Frantically falling, flailing to and fro,” the protagonist is caught in a whirlwind of uncertainty, grappling with the unpredictable twists of their destiny. Their ultimate destination remains shrouded in mystery as they descend into the abyss of the unknown.”
‘Obsolarium’:
“The protagonist turns inward, grappling with profound existential questions. They contemplate the nature of their current state: Should they hold onto the belief that even though their physical life has ended, their ultimate fate is still malleable, waiting to be defined?”
‘Ushered By Charon’:
“Awakening to a surreal reality, the protagonist finds themselves in a desolate wasteland at the water’s edge. Surrounding them are countless lost souls, adrift and purposeless. A vessel emerges on the horizon, guided by a disheveled figure at its helm—Charon, the Ferrier of souls.”
‘Planes Divide’:
“Undeterred by the dangers that lie beyond the shoreline, the protagonist pays the fare required to embark on a treacherous voyage across the waters. Unbeknownst to them, their journey will lead them through realms that are far more perilous than anticipated.”
‘Absentia’:
“As the vessel ventures onward, the treacherous waters prove to be a metaphorical battleground. The Ancients, masters of manipulation, distort the perceptions of the voyagers. The protagonist’s senses are tampered with, blurring the lines between reality and illusion.”
‘Departing Acheron’:
“Approaching the shores of Necropia, the realm of judgment, the vessel sails closer to its destination. The Ancients intensify their efforts to deceive and ensnare the voyagers. Their intention is to imprison these souls, subjecting them to a fate dictated by the Ancients themselves, just before they face their ultimate judgment.”
Mitchi Dimitriadis engineered and produced the album which was essential to achieving Jeff Calder’s vision for this concept album.
Jeff Calder and Mitchi Dimitriadis developed the orchestration soundscapes heard on the album and during our live show infusing capture percussive sounds and spoken word elements with digital sound samples.
Hatred Reigns was the first band to mix and master their own album at Dark Moon Productions whereby Mitchi Dimitriadis was manning the equipment with the masterful assistance of Joe ‘Moon’ Lyko.
This album is the collective contribution of each member to make this release possible.
“Jeff is absolutely infatuated with United Cutlery The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit memorabilia and replica collectibles. As well as being passionate about Howard Shore’s thematic scores for Peter Jackson films which may have been infused into our music.”
The album, like many others, faced a lot of adversities in the recording process which caused a very lengthy recording process. Some of these included: COVID lockdowns, people being sick with COVID, soldering of one instrument’s electronics to disrupt their tracking, click tracks plagued the process, and Planes Riff 3 proved to be the most challenging riff of the entire album, 2nd would be the diminished riff in Ancients for Jeff to execute to all band members satisfaction.
“The final day of tracking guitar solos proved to be quite a powerful day, literally. While on a break, the skies turned dark gray and we were sure a storm was definitely looming. While tracking the last solo of the album, the lights kept flickering. We didn’t think much of it until Jeff’s daughter and dog tore down the stairs saying the storm was violent outside. Incredibly, we managed to track the last solo without the power going out. Finishing the session we went to inspect the damage and didn’t see anything significant out back, but upon leaving the house we discovered that the front tree had been blown over but fortunately towards the pathway. While driving Mitchi home, the city was like a wasteland, as sections of roads were closed due to downed trees and snapped power lines. Mother Nature was demonstrating her power for sure.”
“We were grateful to the Metal Gods in order to complete tracking the album during such treacherous moments. It’s possible that the Ancients were looming, yet extreme metal prevailed!”
Pedro ‘Lordigan’ Sena was the designer of our album’s artwork.
He created a masterful piece with countless aimless souls wandering and preparing to face judgment.
In many ways, the cover art represents the 9th song of the album with its vibrant color palette and depth of detailed imagery.
The cover really conveys the music composed for this epic conceptual album.
Introducing Hatred Reigns, an uncompromising force hailing from the Ottawa Capital Region of Ontario. With an exceptional lineup comprising Mitchi Dimitriadis on vocals, Jeff Calder on guitars, Adam Semler on bass, and Neil Grandy on drums.
The band’s collective expertise creates a sonic tapestry that seamlessly weaves old-school death metal with modern technical elements.
“Our guitarist Adam Semler has been apprenticing with Luther Charbonneau to learn the trade and is creating custom guitars for the members of his various projects.”
Neil Grandy moderates the band’s visuals, as well as the editing and production of our videos.
Hatred Reigns takes pride in being a DIY band. Each member is a valuable asset to the group outside of their role of playing their instrument.