"Praying… Hoping… Nothing…" And isn't that the way it always goes. As if I needed to be reminded, again, of just how cruel this thing called "life" can be!

With a sound as cold as their name would indicate, this second effort by the Reno, Nevada natives gives new meaning to a violent new breed. But when's the last time we've heard of a heavy band coming out of Nevada?

December… well it looks like Hell just became a few degrees cooler!

And what do you know, "Heaven Below" just roared up and laid a blazing on my ass!

Imagine if you could put all of the everyday trials and tribulations, pains and sorrows, hate and anger all in one cast iron pot set over an open flame, let it boil over until the mixed contents splatter in your face, leaving you seared and scarred for life… we're not aiming at subtle pleasantries here… and neither are they!

Listening to "Praying…" even once is like shaking hands with the grim reaper himself… an icy, clammy reception to say the least!

Seasonal shifts aside, by the midpoint of this album where "Proximity/Mouthful of Sand" blares its way to the surface-anyone got any water-your own life doesn't quite seem so bad… I mean it can't be with all this shouting going on… I mean, we got a hernia waiting to happen here!

December is the combination of five tortured souls, bonded together to convey an extreme reaction to pain and anguish, supported by dual riff-bashing that would leave Les Paul himself guilt-ridden and scratching his head over this horrific misuse of the not-so-delicate instrument he helped create!

Structurally balanced, dark, moody, and terribly vindictive, December's music breaks-literally-a fair amount new ground when it comes to the marriage of Aggro/Hard-Core set to death vocals.

Having already shared a stage with the likes of Today is the Day, Pissing Razors and V.O.D., December's on the verge of quickly erecting their own "Hatebridge" beyond the boundaries of aggressive music built on a foundation of frustration!

Released by Inzane Records

Review By Vinnie Apicella