Bongripper’s smoky, high times instrumental doom has always been an interesting prospect, conjuring vast sonic landscapes that are easy to lose yourself in with massive Sleep-esque riffs. Meanwhile, fellow Chicagoans Hate’s side is unbridled reckless grinding hardcore, perpetrated with a total disregard for the listener hoping to take a breather and soak it in. So while Bongripper’s sole offering to this split, ‘Fisting’, is a hazy miasma of trudging riffs that only gathers in pace from time to time, Hate serve up a searing barrage to complement it perfectly – a split highly recommended.

Világvége is a whole other breed of dirge with the band upping the tempo, akin to their older material and adding the flavours of black metal for good measure. The band maintain their own identity strongly here but there’s a whiff of Hexis picked up as well but the strains of eerie melody always keep this unholy barrage interesting.

Atheos occupy a vein of death metal, with sleek production and top class musical chops that while impressive, is oversaturated, which is why it’s so refreshing to hear a band attempt to changes things up a little. Atheos definitely appear to have the bit between their teeth with this one. There’s grandeur and bludgeoning in each of these seven songs, striking a perfect balance between the two – a definite diamond in the rough.