The marketing says HateSphere’s Guillotine is “hand-made, old-school, real, in-your-face Thrash-Death Metal that will for sure make your head bang until the neck snaps”. But what does their 12th studio album actually deliver?
HateSphere – Guillotine
Release Date: Out Now
Words: Daryl Soar
Old-school Thrash with a punkish inaccuracy and attitude that delves deep into Thrash-Death Metal. The sound is not immediately obvious, with a rasp to the guitars that could come from a real amp or a simulation.
The vocals are classic with a modern edge. The album has a good dynamic range and tempo changes that are as likely to lead into distinctive, stripped-back breakdowns as they are to lead into foot-stomping mosh parts.
Overall, Tue Madsen’s mix works well, conveying the subtleties without sacrificing aggression. Produced, mixed and mastered at Antfarm Studio, the album sounds suitably aggressive for its subject matter.
The lyrics explore the conflict between human nature and society, questioning who breaks first and what happens when they do. It is darker than Hatred Reborn, and definitely worth exploring.
The first standout track for me is Cleansing. There is nothing wrong with what came before, but this was the track that made me want to listen again. It has a thumping Scott Ian-style riff that will have you headbanging along as promised.
The way it slips in and out of that trademark riff is as natural and fluid as a freshwater stream.
Mouth Filled With Barbed Wire is a great example of the band’s capabilities. It has stomping riffs, dissonant transitions, tempo changes and gripping hooks. After Cleansing, it feels like the album wakes up and demands more of your attention.
Guillotine is a Ronseal-Marmite album. It does what it says on the tin, and if you love the track below, you will love the rest. This is a cutting album that could put your head in a basket, all within the mandatory sub-forty minutes that every good Thrash album must clock up.
I like it. The rest is up to you.
HateSphere released Guillotine on 9 October 2026 via Scarlet Records. For more details, visit bfan.link/guillotine-3,
