Hatred’s Rise- Echoes of the Machine

Cover art by Pat Larocque

Metal is never truly gone—it waits and sharpens its teeth in silence until someone kicks open the door with a riff heavy enough to wake the dead. Enter Hatred’s Rise, the brainchild of veteran guitarist and producer Pat Larocque, who has spent decades in the trenches as a session player, sideman, and sonic architect. With his first solo full-length Echoes of the Machine (Iron Sphere Records, March 24, 2025), Larocque doesn’t just nod to the old guard—he stares it in the eye, raises his guitar, and says, let’s go another round.

For those who came of age in the 80s, when Priest ruled the highways, Megadeth turned speed into precision, and Sabbath’s shadow loomed over every basement rehearsal room, Echoes of the Machine feels like home. It carries the same steel backbone of traditional heavy metal, sharpened by the thrash grit of the era, but Larocque injects modern firepower—tight production, cinematic atmosphere, and guest performances that push this project into another dimension.

And those guests? None other than Glen Drover (ex-Megadeth, ex-King Diamond), handling guitars and bass with deadly precision; Shawn Drover (ex-Megadeth, ex-Act of Defiance) penning the lyrics; and powerhouse vocalists Henning Basse (Metalium, ex-Firewind) and Mike DiMeo (ex-Riot, ex-Masterplan) splitting duties across the album. It’s the kind of lineup that makes seasoned metalheads perk up instantly.

The Sound of Defiance

Pat Larocque. Photography by James Hodgins

Larocque’s riffs speak fluent old-school, but he isn’t recycling the past. Ashes of Silence rips forward with thrash intensity, while Cosmic Eons trades speed for interstellar heaviness, its solo spiraling like a cosmic freefall. Darkness Falls is a pit-ready standout—shifting gears mid-song with a solo that drags you down before kicking you back into the fray. The title track Echoes of the Machine rides on a steady melodic backbone, balancing consistency with a searing lead break that burns long after the final note.

For fans who crave that 80s spirit, Eternal Abyss and I Will Rise deliver pure heavy metal glory—towering vocals over riffs that could have been forged alongside Dio, Maiden, or early Savatage. Meanwhile, Rivers of Pain dips into a darker, more melodic space—almost balladic, but never soft—proving that Hatred’s Rise knows how to blend sorrow with steel.

Old School Soul, Modern Muscle

What makes Echoes of the Machine more than just a retro trip is its balance of tradition and evolution. Larocque’s Berklee-honed chops and years of session work ensure that every song is tightly crafted. Glen Drover’s art is pristine yet crushing, letting the rawness of thrash breathe through modern production without losing its teeth.

At its core, this is an album about conflict—between man and machine, between past and future, between despair and resilience. But more importantly, it’s an album that rekindles what made so many of us fall in love with heavy metal decades ago: riffs that fight, vocals that soar, and the unshakable feeling that the music itself is an act of rebellion.

Final Verdict

Echoes of the Machine is a solid declaration of resiliance and vision. For metal lifers who cut their teeth on cassettes and denim vests, Hatred’s Rise is proof that the flame still burns, and in Larocque’s hands, it burns pretty hot. Put this record on, turn it up, and remember why you never stopped banging your head.

Listen To The Music:

Step into the fire and hear Echoes of the Machine for yourself. Stream the album, grab your digital copy, and follow Hatred’s Rise online:

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