French death metal outfit Soul Hater formed at the end of 2023 with a shared goal: strip things back to something heavier, darker, and more rooted in the early ’90s. Though the members were already active in other bands, vocalist Nicolas says the idea was to create “a project that was a bit more heavy/roots, inspired by the ’90s,” blending old-school death metal with hardcore. Once the lineup took shape, the chemistry was immediate. “We quickly agreed to mix old-school death metal with hardcore, and it clicked really fast.”
The initial lineup formed through connections in the Paris underground. Drummer Elliot explains that after the core lineup formed, additional members from bands like Deviant, Wasteland, and Crossed Hands joined to complete the group that would record Soul Hater’s first demo. Some lineup shifts followed, with Nicolas eventually taking over vocal duties, but the band’s direction remained firmly intact.
Guitarist Benoît “Béni” points to the early ’90s death metal underground as the band’s primary foundation. “At that time, the boundaries of the genre weren’t clearly defined yet,” he says. “A lot of bands were putting out really unique material, with extremely dark atmospheres and a strong focus on rhythm, lots of variations, complexity, and groove.” He cites the Finnish scene—Demilich, Disgrace, Xysma—as well as American acts like Paralysis, Oppressor, and Decrepid, with Morbid Angel standing as a central influence. Atmospherically, doom-leaning bands like Thergothon, Unholy, and more recent groups such as Spectral Voice also shape the band’s sound.
Nicolas adds that Soul Hater connects those death metal roots directly to hardcore. “We’re definitely not the first ones to do it,” he says, citing bands like Confusion, All Out War, Merauder, Embodiment, and Shattered Realm, as well as newer acts like Volcano, Jesus Piece, and Three Knee Deep. “But we try to do it in our own way.”
The band’s debut EP, Astral Malefactor, was released in September 2025 via Born Dead Collective. According to Nicolas, it builds on the foundation of their earlier demo. “Compared to our first demo, which was meant to be slower and more oppressive, this one pushes the crushing side of death metal even further while adding a stronger atmosphere that gives the whole record a darker aura.” Lyrically, the material stays within classic death metal territory—“death, physical suffering and mental distress”—while avoiding outright gore. True to the band’s DIY spirit, nearly the entire recording process, including mixing and mastering, was handled in-house.
Soul Hater is also part of a revitalized French heavy music scene. “For the past three or four years, especially here in Paris and in France, we’ve really seen the scene become active again,” says Elliot. He points to bands such as Worst Doubt, Sorcerer, Take It In Blood, Corruption Pact, Cold Decay, Loyal to None, Headbussa, Glassbone, and Tortured Sacrament as part of a growing wave. “It’s great. It shows that we’re active and that we don’t have to be ashamed of what comes from here.”
As for what’s next, the band is keeping details under wraps for now, but the message is simple: “We’ve got some good stuff coming up. But one thing at a time!”
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Astral Malefactor is available on CD via Born Dead Collective.
Soul Hater on social media: Instagram
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