BASH EXPLODE’S LOVE+FEAR+HATE VOL. 1 IS A GENRE-HACKED ONSLAUGHT
Bash Explode wastes no time making his presence felt on LOVE+FEAR+HATE Vol. 1. The Seattle-based genre hacker and artist-producer comes out swinging, ripping through guitars, vocals, and electronic elements with a sound that feels aggressive, emotional, and deliberately unstable. After spending time releasing more experimental electronic material, Bash Explode leans back into his metal roots here, finding comfort in distortion, discord, and sheer volume.
That background shows up everywhere on the EP. Pulling from post-hardcore, cybergrind, nu-metal, dubstep, and punk, the project feels raw and unfiltered, driven by themes of rebellion, anger, loss, and resistance. Many of the songs unfold like short narratives, touching on destruction, restoration, and perseverance, ideas shaped by his experiences performing across Seattle and California, as well as at some of the world’s largest hacker gatherings like DEF CON and Chaos Computer Club camp.
Rather than trying to smooth out those influences, LOVE+FEAR+HATE Vol. 1 leans fully into the chaos. The genre shifts feel instinctive, the intensity feels earned, and the emotion underneath it all gives the noise real weight. This isn’t music built to be safe or subtle. It’s built to hit hard, challenge expectations, and leave a mark. Let’s dig in:
“When It Rains” kicks off LOVE+FEAR+HATE with a menacing blast of pure noise. It feels like pouring cocaine straight onto your heart with no warm-up and no warning, just instant adrenaline. Clocking in at under a minute, it honestly has no business being that short because this track rips and leaves you craving more. The instruments hit hard and fast, and the way it locks in with the vocals makes the whole thing feel feral, urgent, and completely unhinged in the best way possible.
“ihopeyouchoke” storms in as track two, delivering a blistering hybrid of metalcore and dubstep that hits with zero restraint. Sure, the crossover has been explored before, but this track makes a strong case for why it still works when it’s done right. Everything feels rich and full, loaded with tension, angst, and impatience that practically vibrates through the speakers. It’s the kind of song that demands movement, whether you’re nodding along in place or full-on slamming bodies in the mosh pit. Aggressive, infectious, and unapologetically high-energy, it keeps the record's momentum surging without letting up.
“Misery Loves Company” finds Bash Explode firing on all cylinders, and it’s one of the clearest moments where his vision fully comes into focus. This is where a heavy dose of post hardcore takes the lead, and you can hear the time and intention poured into every transition, layered texture, and dynamic shift. Nothing feels rushed or accidental. The song unfolds with patience and control, building tension before opening up into something bigger and more emotionally charged.
What really makes the track hit is how he fuses two distinct sounds into a single, cohesive identity. That marriage gives the song extra weight and resonance, making it feel both polished and raw at once. Vocally, there are subtle nods to The Receiving End of the Sirens and Thrice, especially in the melodic phrasing and emotional delivery. As the track continues, it spans the broader Warped Tour spectrum of influence, drawing on different eras and styles without losing focus. The result is a track that feels expansive and intentional, highlighting Bash Explode at his most confident and fully realized.
“Empathy,” the fourth track on the album, pulls the brakes hard and shifts the record into a more restrained, emotionally driven space. An electrified guitar gently drips across the arrangement, setting a moody, atmospheric foundation, while the vocals arrive softer and more intimate than before. It’s a stark contrast to the previous tracks, but one that highlights the depth of musicality he brings to the project.
As the song progresses, it gradually swells in volume and intensity, building toward a full-bodied rock-and-roll release. The transition feels earned, not forced. When the track finally opens up, the screams hit with real impact, the clean vocals hold firm, and everything locks together into a powerful, cathartic payoff. “Empathy” feels like the kind of song that will only grow larger in a live setting, the type of moment fans will be waiting for as soon as the first notes ring out.
“Now I Am Become Death (feat. Plusfiction)” might be one of the wildest mashups we’ve heard in a long time. The screams are absolutely relentless, and the dubstep and metalcore collision is ferocious from start to finish, leaving no room to breathe. This track is built for movement. The kind that has you sweating it out, whether you’re losing your mind on the dance floor or throwing everything you’ve got into the pit.
It’s nonstop chaos in its most brutal and addictive form, and it never lets up. There’s something almost disorienting about how heavy and kinetic it feels, like the song is constantly threatening to fly off the rails but somehow stays locked in. We’re still not entirely sure what kind of instrumentation or setup Bash Explode is using here, but whatever it is, it works, and it makes us want answers. Add Plusfiction into the mix and the track gains an extra layer of intensity, pushing an already explosive song into full-on inferno territory.
“Chemical Trust (feat. Matt Hatt)” is yet another reminder that LOVE+FEAR+HATE Vol. 1 has no interest in playing it safe. The track comes in hot and immediately feels like it’s trying to devour your ears in the best way possible. Bringing in Matt Hatt, an established rap artist, stacks yet another genre onto an already dense and aggressive soundscape, but instead of overwhelming the song, it sharpens it.
In lesser hands, stacking this many genres could feel cluttered or unfocused. Here, it feels deliberate and surprisingly refreshing. Each element knows its role, giving the track an edge that keeps it unpredictable without losing cohesion. At this point, we expect the chaos from Bash Explode, so pushing things even further just feels natural. “Chemical Trust” proves that when done with intention, piling genres on top of each other doesn’t dilute the impact; it amplifies it.
“Trepidation” opens with an emo-leaning energy before quickly mutating into a hybrid of screamo, metalcore, and dubstep-driven chaos. It carries flashes of 3OH!3’s warped electronic edge, but reimagined through a heavier, grittier lens that feels unmistakably Bash Explode.
The track is packed with killer drops, massive synths, and raw, punishing screams that hit hard. Just when the dubstep feels like it’s taken full control, the guitars come roaring back in alongside crashing drums, flipping the switch and pushing the song into overdrive. The constant shifts keep the momentum high, turning “Trepidation” into an all-out sonic assault that refuses to sit still.
“YOUR NEXT MISTAKE” follows a similar blueprint to the previous track, but swaps in a fresh set of riffs that give it its own identity. The energy stays relentless, locking you in from the start and all but daring you not to move.
The guitar work takes a bigger role here, expanding the track’s palette in a way that feels both heavier and more dynamic. It’s the kind of song built for movement, with enough punch and momentum to guarantee a full-on mosh session every time it hits.
“LFH (ft. Ohm-I)” closes the EP on a note that feels sharply different from everything that came before it. The track opens with haunting strings and a dark, ominous vocal that immediately shifts the atmosphere before crashing headfirst into the verse with a full-force onslaught of guitars and screams.
When Ohm-I’s rap verse enters, it adds a new dimension to the song, bringing an extra layer of urgency and contrast that elevates the track even further. While there’s less dub influence here compared to earlier songs, the impact is no less powerful. “LFH” still hits hard, trading electronic chaos for raw intensity, and it stands as a strong, memorable closer to one hell of an EP.
Taken as a whole, LOVE+FEAR+HATE Vol. 1 is a relentless, genre-defying assault that never once apologizes for its intensity. Bash Explode pushes everything to the edge, blending metalcore, post-hardcore, dubstep, rap, and electronic elements into a sound that feels volatile but intentional. Each track builds on the last, constantly shifting shape while maintaining a clear sense of purpose and momentum.
What makes the EP truly hit is its fearlessness. There’s no hesitation in how far it’s willing to go, no concern for fitting neatly into a single lane. Instead, it thrives on excess, tension, and release, creating a listening experience that feels physical, emotional, and exhausting in the best way possible. By the time “LFH” fades out, LOVE+FEAR+HATE Vol. 1 feels less like a collection of songs and more like a full-bodied statement. If this is just the beginning, Bash Explode is clearly only getting started, and whatever comes next is going to hit even harder.