Despite being around for as long as Behemoth and even playing the death metal style that Poland is now known for before Behemoth turned to death metal, it is quite weird that Hate never quite got as much recognition as the aforementioned and bands like Vader did when it came to Polish death metal. But this did little to deter the band from continuing to unleash their brand of death metal upon the masses, and this year sees the band releasing their 8th full length effort, Solarflesh. The Polish stylistics that Behemoth helped to popularise is easily heard on Solarflesh, from the blackened, yet crushing style of riffing that is unleashed by ATF Sinner and Destroyer, down to the relentless and tireless blasting of drummer Hexen. Just listen to the opening moments of songs like Eternal Might and Alchemy of Blood, where the entire sound of the band can easily fit a Behemoth record, especially in the way the pinch harmonics are incorporated into their music. ATF Sinner?s vocals are even rather similar to Nergal?s and this certainly reinforces that Behemoth comparison. Hexen?s drumming is one of the key attractions on the album, and the energy that he exudes is not unlike fellow Polish drummers such as Inferno and Stormblast. Fans of Polish death metal and of the Hertz Studio sound will certainly not be disappointed by this release.