Hopes of Failure, Iowan metal trio
Aseethe's 2017 full-length and debut Thrill Jockey release, was a brutal, bludgeoning reflection on disappointment and despair. The group's follow-up is no less punishing, but instead of ruminating on hopelessness, the group sharpen their lyrical attack, reacting to political and environmental concerns and lashing out against the greedy, the corrupt, and the apathetic. More focused and direct than they've ever been,
Aseethe continue to deliver lumbering riffs and crushing drums, with skillfully executed shifts and tempo changes twisting throughout the group's ten-minute compositions. This time, however,
Brian Barr's guttural, demonic growl is countered by the
Slayer-like shrieks of bassist Noah Koester. "To Victory" is motivational without being patriotic or resorting to any sort of feel-good clichés -- it's still bleak and unrelenting, urging remorseless battle or else risking defeat. The group divert from their usual epic lengths with the instrumental "Suffocating Burden," which scatters feedback under a desolate drone, and "No Realm," which is faster and vaguely more punk-sounding than usual for
Aseethe. All right, punk is stretching it a bit, but something feels a bit different about the song's attitude. The album's message is epitomized by "Our Worth Is the New Measure," which urges to fight against authority and "bring down the elite."