Hailing from the Spanish underground, raw black metal outfit Hässlig brings us their first full length release, Apex Predator. This is a hard hitting, well made album that was made with precision and care. The mysterious figure head behind the band, who simply goes by D.B. is no stranger to the underground scene. Leading the charge with his other projects like the ferocious and nihilistic Negativa and the psychedelic yet equally punishing Délirant. Under the Hässlig banner, there are two previous releases, Deathlust and Guillotine. Both of those releases together sport a razor sharp iconic sound of raw crust punk and heavy black metal that is both melodic and almost groovy but still has such a sharp edge and bite that will leave an unsuspecting listener with whiplash. Apex Predator takes this iconic and familiar sound to the next level, mastering what was laid down before, honing in the sound to a perfection.
The album begins with no extra fluff, the roaring feedback of the guitar pierce your ear as you’re then greeted with a barrage heavy, melodic riffs, headbanging d-beats, and a harsh bestial voice that would send chills down any demon’s spine. The songs are tight and have a distinct focus that captures the listener and doesn’t take them on some useless journey or pad out the playtime with unneeded ambient play. The journey they do take you down is a chaotic mosh pit of sound, each track flows perfectly into one another, with piercing guitar feedback bridging each track, creating a natural ambience using just the bare essentials. Guitars, drums, and bass. It’s simple, people in the scene always seem to forget that less is more. This is black metal how it should be. Unforgiving, raw, primitive and heavy.
While, I’ll still stand by that this release is incredibly raw, especially when compared to other albums coming out from the scene, it is an upgrade from Hässlig‘s previous releases. Those previous releases sported that old iconic, second-wave black metal style production, something akin to early Darkthrone. Understanding the added layer of ambience and texture a perfected ‘raw’ sound can be, D.B. decided to release a version of Apex Predator with that chaotic iconic sound that originally paved their way.
D.B.’s music proves you don’t need grandeur to make something powerful. Apex Predator delivers raw, unrelenting crust-punk-meets-black-metal with precision and purpose. There’s no filler, no indulgence, just stripped-down aggression that hits harder because of its restraint. That same ethic runs through his other projects, Negativa and Délirant, each carrying its own weight and atmosphere while maintaining that same sharp edge. Few artists understand the impact of simplicity the way D.B. does. Apex Predator isn’t just a standout release, it’s a reminder that sometimes the most direct approach leaves the deepest mark. Easily my favorite release of this year so far.