HATE ETERNAL, forged in Tampa Bay, Florida during 1997, is one of the two bands led by MORBID ANGEL and ex-RIPPING CORPSE guitarist Erik Rutan, alongside a Symphonic female fronted Metal project titled ALAS. These two concerns shared equal space on a 1997 industry promo release entitled 'Engulfed In Grief'. HATE ETERNAL cut a three track demo at Warehouse Studios, Tampa, during June 1997. CANNIBAL CORPSE's Alex Webster supplied bass guitar.

The Tampa Bay based project signed up with Wicked World, a death metal subsidiary of UK label Earache Records. For recording of the October 1999 'Conquering The Throne' album HATE ETERNAL pulled in ex-INTERCINE bassist Jared Anderson, erstwhile WINDBREED and SHAITHUS drummer Tim Yeung and SUFFOCATION and WELT guitarist Doug Cerrito. These sessions were recorded in the February that year at Greenhouse FX studios. Rutan would still be assisting MORBID ANGEL as live guitarist and establishing his reputation behind the controls as a noted producer, having handled Brazilian act KRISIUN's 2000 album amongst many others.

HATE ETERNAL toured as support to CANNIBAL CORPSE and DETHRONED with the band's latest line-up including former MALEVOLENT CREATION drummer Derek Roddy.

Anderson would be drafted into the ranks of MORBID ANGEL for their 2001 UK dates when regular frontman Steve Tucker was forced to bow out. However, HATE ETERNAL would go beyond the side project stage when a new album, 'King Of All Kings', was announced for September 2002 release. Gigs to promote the release would include a run of shows in Brazil the same month.

Erstwhile HATE ETERNAL drummer Tim Yeung would be employed as session drummer for the 2002 AURORA BOREALIS album 'Time, Unveiled'. Coincidentally, Derek Roddy had also previously sat in with AURORA BOREALIS on earlier albums. November 2002 shows found the band on the road in North America on a package billing with CANNIBAL CORPSE, CATTLE DECAPITATION and MACABRE. The band then toured the UK in December with support from KATAKLYSM and DERANGED.

HATE ETERNAL, bringing in Randy Piro, at first only intended as temporary replacement for Jared Anderson, united with DYING FETUS, KATAKLYSM, and INTO ETERNITY for North American dates in February and March of 2003. Erik Rutan suffered a cracked vertebrae when the band's van went off the road in Wisconsin on 8th March. The singer was released from hospital and persevered with the tour. Jared Anderson backed out of band activities in order to commit himself to a drug rehabilitation programme. Rutan was recovered enough to mix the album 'Total Death' from leading Colombian Death Metal band MASACRE.

HATE ETERNAL allied with ARCH ENEMY, EVERGREY and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER for a short but intensive run of US dates in August before hooking up with HATEBREED, MADBALL, TERROR and CEPHALIC CARNAGE for September shows. The band announced further touring plans for the US in November of 2003, forming up a billing comprising DEICIDE, KRISIUN and CATTLE DECAPITATION. Taking the band into 2004 would be January European dates, the band headlining over DYING FETUS, DEEDS OF FLESH and PREJUDICE.

Erik Rutan gained mixing credits for Swedish act IN BATTLE's 2004 album 'Welcome To The Battlefield', the guitarist also donating a solo to the track 'Serpent'.

HATE ETERNAL announced the addition of second guitarist Eric Hersemann of LORD BLASPHEMER and DIABOLIC to the group's ranks in May of 2005. The group headed up a Summer package touring bill comprising KRISIUN, INCANTATION, INTO ETERNITY and ALL SHALL PERISH for US gigs in June. However, with INCANTATION forced out of the Canadian leg, due to "legal issues", JUNGLE ROT took over the vacant support slot for those gigs. This tour preceded a batch of Australian shows. A new album, 'I, Monarch' preceded by a Shane Drake directed promotional video for the title track, arrived on 28th June through Earache Records. 'I, Monarch', came in three formats, a regular CD, a limited edition slipcase CD with different cover art and a vinyl picture disc restricted to 1000 copies.

Erik Rutan spent December 2005 acting as producer for CELLADOR's 'Enter Deception' album. As 2006 opened, drummer Derek Roddy teamed up with BLOTTED SCIENCE, a technical extreme Metal project masterminded by guitarist RON JARZOMBEK of WATCHTOWER and SPASTIC INK repute alongside CANNIBAL CORPSE bassist Alex Webster. Meantime, erstwhile drummer Tim Yeung forged DIVINE HERESY with ex-FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares.

HATE ETERNAL announced European gigs for April 2006 but would cancel these and lose the services of drummer Derek Roddy beforehand. A new set of shows resulted in an April US trek alongside ARCH ENEMY, CHIMAIRA, NEVERMORE and GOD FORBID, these shows later adding TEMPLE OF BRUTALITY. Kevin Talley of CHIMAIRA, DYING FETUS and MISERY INDEX stepped in as substitute drummer. The band then hooked up with SPAWN OF POSSESSION and SHADOWSLAND for European touring in May covering the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Belgium. Standing in on drums would be the DIMMU BORGIR, DEW-SCENTED, VILE, OLD MAN'S CHILD and PANZERCHRIST credited Reno Kiilerich.

Former HATE ETERNAL vocalist Jared Anderson died in his sleep on Saturday, October 14th at the age of 30.

Former member Tim Yeung deputised as stand in drummer for Western Massachusetts Metal outfit ALL THAT REMAINS North American dates throughout November and December 2006. Before the close of the year ex-drummer Derek Roddy joined TODAY IS THE DAY. As 2007 broke, HATE ETERNAL members Randy Piro and Eric Hersemann revealed they had teamed up in a new band called GIGAN.

The group signed with Metal Blade Records in January 2007. HATE ETERNAL parted ways with bassist Randy Piro in March. Alex Webster from CANNIBAL CORPSE handled bass duties on new recordings. Bolstering Erik Rutan would now be a fresh cast of DIM MAK and RIPPING CORPSE guitar player Shaune Kelley and drummer Jade Simonetto, of CAMILLA RHODES repute. The following year the group drafted Makoto Mizoguchi, a veteran of PYREXIA, DISEMBOWEL and INTERNAL SUFFERING, to cover bass duties for live work. 'Fury & Flames' emerged on 19th February 2008.

HATE ETERNAL were forced to drop off a November 2008 JOB FOR A COWBOY North American tour due an infection in Erik Rutan's hand and complications in his kidney. Rutan was admitted to an Iowa City hospital on the early morning of 23rd November.

HATE ETERNAL, MISERY INDEX, AEON and SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY teamed up for a European tour in January/February 2009.Dates were scheduled for Argentina and Chile in June but just prior to these concerts they were cancelled due to a delay in working visas.

Garry Sharpe-Young