Definitions of the word “Hackneyed”, from the online lexicon of Princeton University: “banal; repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse”. 

The debuting death metal band Hackneyed is the perfect opposite. Although the five youngsters – average age of 16! – use the traditional tools of bands like Morbid Angel, they decorate this classical soundscape of brutal death with an unorthodox structure of verses, a few spicy and speedy elements of metalcore and the self-confident attitude of mega rock stars. The album is a volcano of pure energy, not leaving the audience a second to calm down. The literary work is based on the blood/puke/feces-smeared pillars, founded by such masters of unending nausea as Gorerotted (but without the silly nursery rhyme theme) and Vomitory. Hackneyed seems to possess a good measure of self-conscious irony. It’s funny that a band of “children” makes a song called Gut Candy.

Other instant hits include the grindcore opus Neon Sun and the brutally simply named Axe Splatter.

These boys are masters of their instruments, especially the guitarists, who are able to keep the music melodious, even when the drummer is attacked by epilepsy. Everything is kept nice and tight.

The only bad thing I can say about this album, is that the guy that mic'ed up the drums should be shot. Its too bad that a talented drummer sounds like he’s playing on cardboard boxes.

The name of the band has to be ironic. The name of the album, on the other hand, is nothing short of a prophesy. All the headliners of death metal is getting old, fat and lazy. But when you listen to these kids you get the feeling, that despite everything, Death Prevails!