It was released on September 16, 2002, by Earache Records and, like their debut, produced by the band's frontman Erik Rutan.

The album's style is characterized as a "messy, rhythmic cacophony of growls, blast beats, and noisy guitars."

Derek Roddy's blast beats have been called "relentless.

[4] In his review of the album, Jason D. Taylor of AllMusic praised the its musicianship and production, but criticized the lack of variety between its tracks.

He said, "Despite its weaknesses, it is evident that Rutan and company are slowly striding forth with their own signature sound, and now that Hate Eternal is Erik Rutan's main focus, one should expect even more grandiose grindcore on future releases.