Oh, the troublesome second album…a common cry among reviewers contemplating the second efforts of many artists. Yet, Anglo-Scandinavian rock band, Hate Gallery, enjoyed a fairly easy ride with ‘Compassion Fatigue’, its first studio offering, which seemed to hit the critics’ mark with a degree of precision. Sadly, to my ears, at least, number two, fresh from the duress of Swedish, Finnish and English recording facilities, does not quite meet expectations.

With no less than eight of the eleven tracks, including the title one, giving the speakers a darned good metal thrashing, with an ear-bleeding but unrefined and scary Dave Grohlish replication about them, complete with some Novolselician pounding drum off-beats for good measure, what lets them down is the sameness about each track. Hate Gallery needs to introduce some variety.

Yet, ‘The Becoming’ (track four) and ‘Security Forces’ (track five) do provide a welcome break from the racket. Featuring a greater depth of musicality and a decent run of guitar breaks and even a slightly soothing chorus, they demonstrate amply the skills inherent to the talented four-piece. It is a theme carried into ‘Love Shine On’, the penultimate track, which is actually quite delightful to listen to time and again, not least for Janne Jarvis’s gravely vocals.

The PR for the band suggests that its influences lie with Killing Joke and Nine Inch Nails, tinged with the soundscapes of Pink Floyd and even Led Zeppelin. I have to say that the description defies the reality and, while I am sure that Messrs Lundell, Lepola, Kvarnebrink and the aforementioned Jarvis could probably align themselves quite happily with these giants, they have missed the boat completely with ‘Viva La Resistance’.

If you like dark, forbidding sounds, featuring largely ill-judged, repetitive and, it needs to be said, boring riffs, then by all means trust in the repute that Hate Gallery can bring with it. However, as more than 75 per cent of this ‘concept’ album sounds like one fiery track extension after another, it is not something that I believe will stand the test of time.

It is all very well being ‘angry’ and dedicating your album to ‘all those who have died at the hands of the police’ but, c’mon guys! Wake up. Smell the coffee. Your growing fan base expects a little bit more than some vanity project and you need to learn to give.