#hailspiritnoir — Public Fediverse posts

Tómarúm – Beyond Obsidian Euphoria

By Kenstrosity

Over the past three years, I’ve come to appreciate Tómarúm’s surprising, mature debut Ash in Realms of Stone Icons at a deeper level than I had hoped to reach in the mere two weeks provided at the time. While I stand by my overall score—and by my critiques—my relationship with that record grew more meaningful and rewarding with time. Tómarúm’s spiritually charged, introspective point of view speaks volumes of suffering and strife, while the complexity of their musical compositions reflects in uncompromising clarity the fluid order that governs a turbulent chaos of the soul and of the heart. With this fresh in mind, I approach follow-up Beyond Obsidian Euphoria with great curiosity and equal anticipation.

Occupying a niche of progressive metal most commonly associated with acts like Ne Obliviscaris, but also connected to newer groups such as Amiensus, An Abstract Illusion, and Dawn of Ouroboros, Atlanta quintet Tómarúm boast an especially fluid and emotive sound. Progressive structures and ever-shifting phrases abound, yet never intrude, obstruct, or interrupt. Technical prowess reminiscent of Fallujah and Lunar Chamber creates additional dynamics most noticeably felt in the bass guitar, lead guitar, and drum performances. And, to my great delight, a new twist of machine-gun burst riffing pulled from Warforged‘s I: Voice playbook grants a palpable, terrifying presence. Beyond Obsidian Euphoria takes all of these elements, intrinsic to Tómarúm’s identity, and implements them with the same finesse and refinement of the last record, but with an altogether more hopeful tone. While still dealing with subjects of profound anguish and emotional turmoil, Beyond explores further the catharsis borne of dedicated, dogged persistence against those internal demons which would otherwise have your singular light extinguished from this mortal coil.

Nothing better exemplifies this shift in tone than the one-two punch of standout duo “Shallow Ecstasy” and “Shed This Erroneous Skin.” Epic sweeps of ominous shadow collide with shimmers of brilliance as menacing pummels advance their campaign against soaring leads and righteous solos. Those blackened rasps that voiced past work join the fray again as crooning cleans provide motivating counterpoint to fuel the flame of continuing life. A vivid chiaroscuro of composition personifies every moment across this 16-minute span, but the surrounding environs offer just as many dynamic moments of beauty and beastliness. The remarkably short and savage “Blood Mirage” deals massive damage to the cranium as it executes a brutal assault of riffs and tech-y oscillations, while “Halcyon Memory: Dreamscapes Across the Blue” evokes an Hail Spirit Noir-esque airiness that belies its double-bass propulsion and quasi-bluesy harmonized solos. The gamut of sounds, styles and textures malleate as soft putty in Tómarúm’s talented fingers, which allows their unfaltering focus on story and character to shine ever brighter on Beyond’s second immense suite of epics, “Silver, Ashen Tears” and “The Final Pursuit of Light.” Any impression of bloat falls to the wayside in the face of such nuanced and well-realized musical design, as melody, pace, substance, and technicality find a kaleidoscopic harmony striking in its multifaceted vibrancy.

At just under 70 minutes, Beyond Obsidian Euphoria daunts any audience with a monumental investment. The dividends, however, more than make up for the sacrifice. That is, if the listener is willing and ready to dig deep and find those moments most intimate and vulnerable. That delicate pluck of the string in a phrase flanked by vicious scrapes; the contrabass frequency that stimulates the spine as starry tremolos dot the sky; the desperate howl of pain and of shattered spirit that preludes an epiphany of truth and of healing; the miraculous congregation of hook and sophistication moving in tandem towards a shared apex of sound and story; all find a place in this wonderful piece, and each piece has its place. Unlike my experience with Ash in Realms, my experience with Beyond is one of complete and utter immersion. There is hardly a moment I would change, barely a segment I would cut—save for the fluffy interlude “Introspection III,” appearing too early on to leave a lasting mark by the close.

Occasionally, I find myself unable to dedicate the time necessary to engage with Tómarúm’s latest opus. I expect that others will experience the same unfortunate circumstance. While that certainly poses a question to the value statement of an album this long, specifically because its individual chapters can’t be separated without compromising the integrity of the whole, Beyond Obsidian Euphoria feels like a rare record that needs every second it consumes. The passion and personality Tómarúm exude in this work demands the price of time to bloom. If you give it the space to do so, what awaits can only be described as euphoric.

Rating: Excellent!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Prosthetic Records
Websites: tomarum.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/TomarumBM/
Releases Worldwide: April 4th, 2025

#2025 #45 #AmericanMetal #Amiensus #AnAbstractIllusion #Apr25 #BeyondObsidianEuphoria #BlackMetal #Cormorant #DawnOfOuroboros #DeathMetal #Fallujah #HailSpiritNoir #LunarChamber #MelodicBlackMetal #MelodicDeathMetal #NeObliviscaris #ProgressiveBlackMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews #TechnicalDeathMetal #Tómarúm #Warforged

Tómarúm – Beyond Obsidian Euphoria

By Kenstrosity

Over the past three years, I’ve come to appreciate Tómarúm’s surprising, mature debut Ash in Realms of Stone Icons at a deeper level than I had hoped to reach in the mere two weeks provided at the time. While I stand by my overall score—and by my critiques—my relationship with that record grew more meaningful and rewarding with time. Tómarúm’s spiritually charged, introspective point of view speaks volumes of suffering and strife, while the complexity of their musical compositions reflects in uncompromising clarity the fluid order that governs a turbulent chaos of the soul and of the heart. With this fresh in mind, I approach follow-up Beyond Obsidian Euphoria with great curiosity and equal anticipation.

Occupying a niche of progressive metal most commonly associated with acts like Ne Obliviscaris, but also connected to newer groups such as Amiensus, An Abstract Illusion, and Dawn of Ouroboros, Atlanta quintet Tómarúm boast an especially fluid and emotive sound. Progressive structures and ever-shifting phrases abound, yet never intrude, obstruct, or interrupt. Technical prowess reminiscent of Fallujah and Lunar Chamber creates additional dynamics most noticeably felt in the bass guitar, lead guitar, and drum performances. And, to my great delight, a new twist of machine-gun burst riffing pulled from Warforged‘s I: Voice playbook grants a palpable, terrifying presence. Beyond Obsidian Euphoria takes all of these elements, intrinsic to Tómarúm’s identity, and implements them with the same finesse and refinement of the last record, but with an altogether more hopeful tone. While still dealing with subjects of profound anguish and emotional turmoil, Beyond explores further the catharsis borne of dedicated, dogged persistence against those internal demons which would otherwise have your singular light extinguished from this mortal coil.

Nothing better exemplifies this shift in tone than the one-two punch of standout duo “Shallow Ecstasy” and “Shed This Erroneous Skin.” Epic sweeps of ominous shadow collide with shimmers of brilliance as menacing pummels advance their campaign against soaring leads and righteous solos. Those blackened rasps that voiced past work join the fray again as crooning cleans provide motivating counterpoint to fuel the flame of continuing life. A vivid chiaroscuro of composition personifies every moment across this 16-minute span, but the surrounding environs offer just as many dynamic moments of beauty and beastliness. The remarkably short and savage “Blood Mirage” deals massive damage to the cranium as it executes a brutal assault of riffs and tech-y oscillations, while “Halcyon Memory: Dreamscapes Across the Blue” evokes an Hail Spirit Noir-esque airiness that belies its double-bass propulsion and quasi-bluesy harmonized solos. The gamut of sounds, styles and textures malleate as soft putty in Tómarúm’s talented fingers, which allows their unfaltering focus on story and character to shine ever brighter on Beyond’s second immense suite of epics, “Silver, Ashen Tears” and “The Final Pursuit of Light.” Any impression of bloat falls to the wayside in the face of such nuanced and well-realized musical design, as melody, pace, substance, and technicality find a kaleidoscopic harmony striking in its multifaceted vibrancy.

At just under 70 minutes, Beyond Obsidian Euphoria daunts any audience with a monumental investment. The dividends, however, more than make up for the sacrifice. That is, if the listener is willing and ready to dig deep and find those moments most intimate and vulnerable. That delicate pluck of the string in a phrase flanked by vicious scrapes; the contrabass frequency that stimulates the spine as starry tremolos dot the sky; the desperate howl of pain and of shattered spirit that preludes an epiphany of truth and of healing; the miraculous congregation of hook and sophistication moving in tandem towards a shared apex of sound and story; all find a place in this wonderful piece, and each piece has its place. Unlike my experience with Ash in Realms, my experience with Beyond is one of complete and utter immersion. There is hardly a moment I would change, barely a segment I would cut—save for the fluffy interlude “Introspection III,” appearing too early on to leave a lasting mark by the close.

Occasionally, I find myself unable to dedicate the time necessary to engage with Tómarúm’s latest opus. I expect that others will experience the same unfortunate circumstance. While that certainly poses a question to the value statement of an album this long, specifically because its individual chapters can’t be separated without compromising the integrity of the whole, Beyond Obsidian Euphoria feels like a rare record that needs every second it consumes. The passion and personality Tómarúm exude in this work demands the price of time to bloom. If you give it the space to do so, what awaits can only be described as euphoric.

Rating: Excellent!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Prosthetic Records
Websites: tomarum.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/TomarumBM/
Releases Worldwide: April 4th, 2025

#2025 #45 #AmericanMetal #Amiensus #AnAbstractIllusion #Apr25 #BeyondObsidianEuphoria #BlackMetal #Cormorant #DawnOfOuroboros #DeathMetal #Fallujah #HailSpiritNoir #LunarChamber #MelodicBlackMetal #MelodicDeathMetal #NeObliviscaris #ProgressiveBlackMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews #TechnicalDeathMetal #Tómarúm #Warforged

Tómarúm – Beyond Obsidian Euphoria

By Kenstrosity

Over the past three years, I’ve come to appreciate Tómarúm’s surprising, mature debut Ash in Realms of Stone Icons at a deeper level than I had hoped to reach in the mere two weeks provided at the time. While I stand by my overall score—and by my critiques—my relationship with that record grew more meaningful and rewarding with time. Tómarúm’s spiritually charged, introspective point of view speaks volumes of suffering and strife, while the complexity of their musical compositions reflects in uncompromising clarity the fluid order that governs a turbulent chaos of the soul and of the heart. With this fresh in mind, I approach follow-up Beyond Obsidian Euphoria with great curiosity and equal anticipation.

Occupying a niche of progressive metal most commonly associated with acts like Ne Obliviscaris, but also connected to newer groups such as Amiensus, An Abstract Illusion, and Dawn of Ouroboros, Atlanta quintet Tómarúm boast an especially fluid and emotive sound. Progressive structures and ever-shifting phrases abound, yet never intrude, obstruct, or interrupt. Technical prowess reminiscent of Fallujah and Lunar Chamber creates additional dynamics most noticeably felt in the bass guitar, lead guitar, and drum performances. And, to my great delight, a new twist of machine-gun burst riffing pulled from Warforged‘s I: Voice playbook grants a palpable, terrifying presence. Beyond Obsidian Euphoria takes all of these elements, intrinsic to Tómarúm’s identity, and implements them with the same finesse and refinement of the last record, but with an altogether more hopeful tone. While still dealing with subjects of profound anguish and emotional turmoil, Beyond explores further the catharsis borne of dedicated, dogged persistence against those internal demons which would otherwise have your singular light extinguished from this mortal coil.

Nothing better exemplifies this shift in tone than the one-two punch of standout duo “Shallow Ecstasy” and “Shed This Erroneous Skin.” Epic sweeps of ominous shadow collide with shimmers of brilliance as menacing pummels advance their campaign against soaring leads and righteous solos. Those blackened rasps that voiced past work join the fray again as crooning cleans provide motivating counterpoint to fuel the flame of continuing life. A vivid chiaroscuro of composition personifies every moment across this 16-minute span, but the surrounding environs offer just as many dynamic moments of beauty and beastliness. The remarkably short and savage “Blood Mirage” deals massive damage to the cranium as it executes a brutal assault of riffs and tech-y oscillations, while “Halcyon Memory: Dreamscapes Across the Blue” evokes an Hail Spirit Noir-esque airiness that belies its double-bass propulsion and quasi-bluesy harmonized solos. The gamut of sounds, styles and textures malleate as soft putty in Tómarúm’s talented fingers, which allows their unfaltering focus on story and character to shine ever brighter on Beyond’s second immense suite of epics, “Silver, Ashen Tears” and “The Final Pursuit of Light.” Any impression of bloat falls to the wayside in the face of such nuanced and well-realized musical design, as melody, pace, substance, and technicality find a kaleidoscopic harmony striking in its multifaceted vibrancy.

At just under 70 minutes, Beyond Obsidian Euphoria daunts any audience with a monumental investment. The dividends, however, more than make up for the sacrifice. That is, if the listener is willing and ready to dig deep and find those moments most intimate and vulnerable. That delicate pluck of the string in a phrase flanked by vicious scrapes; the contrabass frequency that stimulates the spine as starry tremolos dot the sky; the desperate howl of pain and of shattered spirit that preludes an epiphany of truth and of healing; the miraculous congregation of hook and sophistication moving in tandem towards a shared apex of sound and story; all find a place in this wonderful piece, and each piece has its place. Unlike my experience with Ash in Realms, my experience with Beyond is one of complete and utter immersion. There is hardly a moment I would change, barely a segment I would cut—save for the fluffy interlude “Introspection III,” appearing too early on to leave a lasting mark by the close.

Occasionally, I find myself unable to dedicate the time necessary to engage with Tómarúm’s latest opus. I expect that others will experience the same unfortunate circumstance. While that certainly poses a question to the value statement of an album this long, specifically because its individual chapters can’t be separated without compromising the integrity of the whole, Beyond Obsidian Euphoria feels like a rare record that needs every second it consumes. The passion and personality Tómarúm exude in this work demands the price of time to bloom. If you give it the space to do so, what awaits can only be described as euphoric.

Rating: Excellent!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Prosthetic Records
Websites: tomarum.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/TomarumBM/
Releases Worldwide: April 4th, 2025

#2025 #45 #AmericanMetal #Amiensus #AnAbstractIllusion #Apr25 #BeyondObsidianEuphoria #BlackMetal #Cormorant #DawnOfOuroboros #DeathMetal #Fallujah #HailSpiritNoir #LunarChamber #MelodicBlackMetal #MelodicDeathMetal #NeObliviscaris #ProgressiveBlackMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews #TechnicalDeathMetal #Tómarúm #Warforged

Tómarúm – Beyond Obsidian Euphoria

By Kenstrosity

Over the past three years, I’ve come to appreciate Tómarúm’s surprising, mature debut Ash in Realms of Stone Icons at a deeper level than I had hoped to reach in the mere two weeks provided at the time. While I stand by my overall score—and by my critiques—my relationship with that record grew more meaningful and rewarding with time. Tómarúm’s spiritually charged, introspective point of view speaks volumes of suffering and strife, while the complexity of their musical compositions reflects in uncompromising clarity the fluid order that governs a turbulent chaos of the soul and of the heart. With this fresh in mind, I approach follow-up Beyond Obsidian Euphoria with great curiosity and equal anticipation.

Occupying a niche of progressive metal most commonly associated with acts like Ne Obliviscaris, but also connected to newer groups such as Amiensus, An Abstract Illusion, and Dawn of Ouroboros, Atlanta quintet Tómarúm boast an especially fluid and emotive sound. Progressive structures and ever-shifting phrases abound, yet never intrude, obstruct, or interrupt. Technical prowess reminiscent of Fallujah and Lunar Chamber creates additional dynamics most noticeably felt in the bass guitar, lead guitar, and drum performances. And, to my great delight, a new twist of machine-gun burst riffing pulled from Warforged‘s I: Voice playbook grants a palpable, terrifying presence. Beyond Obsidian Euphoria takes all of these elements, intrinsic to Tómarúm’s identity, and implements them with the same finesse and refinement of the last record, but with an altogether more hopeful tone. While still dealing with subjects of profound anguish and emotional turmoil, Beyond explores further the catharsis borne of dedicated, dogged persistence against those internal demons which would otherwise have your singular light extinguished from this mortal coil.

Nothing better exemplifies this shift in tone than the one-two punch of standout duo “Shallow Ecstasy” and “Shed This Erroneous Skin.” Epic sweeps of ominous shadow collide with shimmers of brilliance as menacing pummels advance their campaign against soaring leads and righteous solos. Those blackened rasps that voiced past work join the fray again as crooning cleans provide motivating counterpoint to fuel the flame of continuing life. A vivid chiaroscuro of composition personifies every moment across this 16-minute span, but the surrounding environs offer just as many dynamic moments of beauty and beastliness. The remarkably short and savage “Blood Mirage” deals massive damage to the cranium as it executes a brutal assault of riffs and tech-y oscillations, while “Halcyon Memory: Dreamscapes Across the Blue” evokes an Hail Spirit Noir-esque airiness that belies its double-bass propulsion and quasi-bluesy harmonized solos. The gamut of sounds, styles and textures malleate as soft putty in Tómarúm’s talented fingers, which allows their unfaltering focus on story and character to shine ever brighter on Beyond’s second immense suite of epics, “Silver, Ashen Tears” and “The Final Pursuit of Light.” Any impression of bloat falls to the wayside in the face of such nuanced and well-realized musical design, as melody, pace, substance, and technicality find a kaleidoscopic harmony striking in its multifaceted vibrancy.

At just under 70 minutes, Beyond Obsidian Euphoria daunts any audience with a monumental investment. The dividends, however, more than make up for the sacrifice. That is, if the listener is willing and ready to dig deep and find those moments most intimate and vulnerable. That delicate pluck of the string in a phrase flanked by vicious scrapes; the contrabass frequency that stimulates the spine as starry tremolos dot the sky; the desperate howl of pain and of shattered spirit that preludes an epiphany of truth and of healing; the miraculous congregation of hook and sophistication moving in tandem towards a shared apex of sound and story; all find a place in this wonderful piece, and each piece has its place. Unlike my experience with Ash in Realms, my experience with Beyond is one of complete and utter immersion. There is hardly a moment I would change, barely a segment I would cut—save for the fluffy interlude “Introspection III,” appearing too early on to leave a lasting mark by the close.

Occasionally, I find myself unable to dedicate the time necessary to engage with Tómarúm’s latest opus. I expect that others will experience the same unfortunate circumstance. While that certainly poses a question to the value statement of an album this long, specifically because its individual chapters can’t be separated without compromising the integrity of the whole, Beyond Obsidian Euphoria feels like a rare record that needs every second it consumes. The passion and personality Tómarúm exude in this work demands the price of time to bloom. If you give it the space to do so, what awaits can only be described as euphoric.

Rating: Excellent!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Prosthetic Records
Websites: tomarum.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/TomarumBM/
Releases Worldwide: April 4th, 2025

#2025 #45 #AmericanMetal #Amiensus #AnAbstractIllusion #Apr25 #BeyondObsidianEuphoria #BlackMetal #Cormorant #DawnOfOuroboros #DeathMetal #Fallujah #HailSpiritNoir #LunarChamber #MelodicBlackMetal #MelodicDeathMetal #NeObliviscaris #ProgressiveBlackMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews #TechnicalDeathMetal #Tómarúm #Warforged

Finalmente mi è arrivato l'ultimo ordine da Masked Dead Records, ma lungi da me non parlare di quel gioiello nero che è Oi Magoi degli Hail Spirit Noir: solo il Crastu sa quanto ho inseguito Terminal World Perspective dei Control Human Delete. Ho la certezza che se in Italia si conosce questo disco è al 90% grazie a me che l'ho spammato ovunuque. Per me solo 666 International dei Dødheimsgard gli è "sopra".
Scrissi pure un pezzo sul blog su quanto sia un disco fenomenale, ma che purtroppo non sia su nessuna piattaforma...all'infuori di un video su Youtube
https://lavocedelcaprone.altervista.org/un-disco-talmente-bello-che-non-si-trova-da-nessuna-parte/

#cd #HailSpiritNoir #ControlHumanDelete #AvantGardeBlack #IndustrialBlackMetal

Finalmente mi è arrivato l'ultimo ordine da Masked Dead Records, ma lungi da me non parlare di quel gioiello nero che è Oi Magoi degli Hail Spirit Noir: solo il Crastu sa quanto ho inseguito Terminal World Perspective dei Control Human Delete. Ho la certezza che se in Italia si conosce questo disco è al 90% grazie a me che l'ho spammato ovunuque. Per me solo 666 International dei Dødheimsgard gli è "sopra".
Scrissi pure un pezzo sul blog su quanto sia un disco fenomenale, ma che purtroppo non sia su nessuna piattaforma...all'infuori di un video su Youtube
https://lavocedelcaprone.altervista.org/un-disco-talmente-bello-che-non-si-trova-da-nessuna-parte/

#cd #HailSpiritNoir #ControlHumanDelete #AvantGardeBlack #IndustrialBlackMetal

Hail Spirit Noir – Fossil Gardens Review

By El Cuervo

I copped significant flack for daring to suggest that the last Hail Spirit Noir outing deserved a mere 2.0 score; perhaps more flack than any other score I’ve ever awarded. Numerous – unwashed – commenters informed me that my opinion (formed over several weeks prior to release, versus their two listens on release day) was, in fact, wrong, and possibly even biased. The passage of four years has firmly validated my opinion. I re-listened to Eden in Reverse while preparing for these Greeks’ return. As previously described, it’s not terrible; just terribly lethargic and dreary. This stuck out from a quirky, inventive discography before 2020. Rest assured that in 2024 they offer a predictably unpredictable experience with Fossil Gardens. Though the bar for my formerly high expectations had been lowered, I now find myself enjoying them once more.

Hail Spirit Noir are never a band to rest on their laurels and Fossil Gardens pushes back towards blacker territory than we’ve heard from them in a decade. It features a couple of passages of blast beats and/or tremolo-picked guitars per song (just listen to the badass introduction to the title track!), save for the odd-but-enjoyable interlude called “Ludwig in Orbit.” On first brush, it could almost hoodwink you into thinking this is primarily a black metal release. Despite its blackened influences, it’s far more progressive, textured, and varied than anything out of Norway in the 90s. Describing the band as anything other than progressive metal wouldn’t be accurate. This is no bad thing; as stated previously, I have absolutely no qualms with proggy bands divesting themselves of their former, extreme metal homes. But the heavier crunch here comprehensively stamps out the torpor I experience from Eden in Reverse.

So what sort of progressive music does Fossil Gardens offer? It eschews slow builds and gradual development in favor of immediate energy and dynamism. “The Road to Awe” is the giant anchor track and the best representative of what this album tries to be. It emerges from a distant star system with the types of cosmic synths that I love, layering whining guitars and other synths as the introduction progresses. Surprisingly compelling soft singing later fills the front of the mix; the singer’s croon is stronger than ever and ties together with solid vocal hooks. The inevitable blast beats command the song within a few minutes, bolstered by the overarching synth melodies sitting above. Things escalate with heaviness before an album-highlight vocal transition from 5:10 that flips into a slower passage with chants. Likewise, the second half of the song blends a variety of heavier riffs and brief pauses. In short, Hail Spirit Noir offer grand, ambitious song-writing. It’s hard for me to fault the desire to create imaginative, dynamic music here.

The varied, kinetic songwriting and numerous instrumental layers results in Fossil Gardens being an exceptionally busy album. This busyness is always represented efficiently by the immaculate mix and solid mastering. Layers of synths and guitars are well-defined, such that their melody but also their crunch permeates the music. However, this doesn’t really soften the blow of the overly-mercurial songwriting. Insufficient attention is given to individual moments that stand out; from the opening lead on “The Temple of Curved Space” to the vocal hook in the middle of “The Road to Awe,” it feels like the highlight passages are too fleeting. The songs move on, or fail to return, such that it’s difficult to form a strong emotional connection with them. Fossil Gardens therefore feels a little less than the sum of its parts. There’s a lot of admire throughout but I don’t feel as enthused to re-begin as I should once I reach the end.

Even after ten full listens, I feel like I lack the final piece to the puzzle of Fossil Gardens. The one which means I understand how all the component pieces fuse into the overall picture it paints. If this hasn’t happened after so many listens in as many days then maybe it’s not going to. New listeners should know that Hail Spirit Noir haven’t released something straight-forward for easy consumption. What I can’t deny is the record’s boldness. It has bold songwriting, bold instrumentation, and bold production. It offers progressive metal with an especially dramatic flair, thereby flirting with the 3.5 score. It may not be perfect, but it will command your attention and make you ponder its purpose.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Agonia Records
Websites: www.facebook.com/hailspiritnoir | hailspiritnoir.bandcamp.com
Releases worldwide: June 28th, 2024

#30 #BlackMetal #FossilGardens #GreekMetal #HailSpiritNoir #june24 #ProgressiveBlackMetal #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews

Hail Spirit Noir – Fossil Gardens Review

By El Cuervo

I copped significant flack for daring to suggest that the last Hail Spirit Noir outing deserved a mere 2.0 score; perhaps more flack than any other score I’ve ever awarded. Numerous – unwashed – commenters informed me that my opinion (formed over several weeks prior to release, versus their two listens on release day) was, in fact, wrong, and possibly even biased. The passage of four years has firmly validated my opinion. I re-listened to Eden in Reverse while preparing for these Greeks’ return. As previously described, it’s not terrible; just terribly lethargic and dreary. This stuck out from a quirky, inventive discography before 2020. Rest assured that in 2024 they offer a predictably unpredictable experience with Fossil Gardens. Though the bar for my formerly high expectations had been lowered, I now find myself enjoying them once more.

Hail Spirit Noir are never a band to rest on their laurels and Fossil Gardens pushes back towards blacker territory than we’ve heard from them in a decade. It features a couple of passages of blast beats and/or tremolo-picked guitars per song (just listen to the badass introduction to the title track!), save for the odd-but-enjoyable interlude called “Ludwig in Orbit.” On first brush, it could almost hoodwink you into thinking this is primarily a black metal release. Despite its blackened influences, it’s far more progressive, textured, and varied than anything out of Norway in the 90s. Describing the band as anything other than progressive metal wouldn’t be accurate. This is no bad thing; as stated previously, I have absolutely no qualms with proggy bands divesting themselves of their former, extreme metal homes. But the heavier crunch here comprehensively stamps out the torpor I experience from Eden in Reverse.

So what sort of progressive music does Fossil Gardens offer? It eschews slow builds and gradual development in favor of immediate energy and dynamism. “The Road to Awe” is the giant anchor track and the best representative of what this album tries to be. It emerges from a distant star system with the types of cosmic synths that I love, layering whining guitars and other synths as the introduction progresses. Surprisingly compelling soft singing later fills the front of the mix; the singer’s croon is stronger than ever and ties together with solid vocal hooks. The inevitable blast beats command the song within a few minutes, bolstered by the overarching synth melodies sitting above. Things escalate with heaviness before an album-highlight vocal transition from 5:10 that flips into a slower passage with chants. Likewise, the second half of the song blends a variety of heavier riffs and brief pauses. In short, Hail Spirit Noir offer grand, ambitious song-writing. It’s hard for me to fault the desire to create imaginative, dynamic music here.

The varied, kinetic songwriting and numerous instrumental layers results in Fossil Gardens being an exceptionally busy album. This busyness is always represented efficiently by the immaculate mix and solid mastering. Layers of synths and guitars are well-defined, such that their melody but also their crunch permeates the music. However, this doesn’t really soften the blow of the overly-mercurial songwriting. Insufficient attention is given to individual moments that stand out; from the opening lead on “The Temple of Curved Space” to the vocal hook in the middle of “The Road to Awe,” it feels like the highlight passages are too fleeting. The songs move on, or fail to return, such that it’s difficult to form a strong emotional connection with them. Fossil Gardens therefore feels a little less than the sum of its parts. There’s a lot of admire throughout but I don’t feel as enthused to re-begin as I should once I reach the end.

Even after ten full listens, I feel like I lack the final piece to the puzzle of Fossil Gardens. The one which means I understand how all the component pieces fuse into the overall picture it paints. If this hasn’t happened after so many listens in as many days then maybe it’s not going to. New listeners should know that Hail Spirit Noir haven’t released something straight-forward for easy consumption. What I can’t deny is the record’s boldness. It has bold songwriting, bold instrumentation, and bold production. It offers progressive metal with an especially dramatic flair, thereby flirting with the 3.5 score. It may not be perfect, but it will command your attention and make you ponder its purpose.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Agonia Records
Websites: www.facebook.com/hailspiritnoir | hailspiritnoir.bandcamp.com
Releases worldwide: June 28th, 2024

#30 #BlackMetal #FossilGardens #GreekMetal #HailSpiritNoir #june24 #ProgressiveBlackMetal #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews

Sun of Nothing – Maze Review

By Dear Hollow

Few albums reveled in existential despair like Sun of Nothing’s The Guilt of Feeling Alive. While punishing in ways that recall Neurosis or Blindead, it settled heavily into tension and despondence beneath the devastation. It always hinted at something without fully grasping it, fluid and powerful heft contrasting with an overwhelming bleakness. Despite its black metal influence, Sun of Nothing did not offer a bleakness like DSBM’s passing glance at a winter landscape, but represented the grey of its troubling cover art: the day-in and day-out of a cold, tired, and worn city, shrouded in smog. For its first album in fourteen years, the Greek quartet has offered something that stands shoulder to shoulder.

Maze is stacked with expectation, and it delivers. Sun of Nothing could have stayed in The Guilt’s lane and played it safe, but they amp up the punishment, hone the dichotomy, and paint a bleaker and more desperate picture than its predecessor could have imagined. Thick sludge riffs are the most noticeable, weighty affairs that recall post-metal’s more vicious moments in Cranial or LLNN, with dissonant leads that don’t necessarily dwell in eeriness and darkness as much as gloom and despondence. Contrasting this droning palette is a black metal-inclined vocal attack whose soul in torment feels like a cry to break through tar-thick monotony. A rusty edge of noisy post-punk graces Maze with a palpable clanking and mammoth repetition that drives the nail deeper, while the songwriting of everything “post-” graces the tired proceedings with a repetitive and nihilistic krautrock approach. Sun of Nothing takes their signature sound deeper with an emphasis on mood and atmosphere. It’s a desperate and hopeless wandering through the human maze, a crooked path we all walk.

The foundation upon which Sun of Nothing builds its songcraft is a simple one, rooted in post-metal. Tension is established with slightly disconcerting minor riffs and a smoky, sludgy distortion, with dissonant plucking and melodic counterbalances. Centerpiece “Ghost Maze” and closer “Buried Endeavors” are great examples of this, Isis-esque rhythms and patient growth balanced by these chords and an uncanny valley approach to melodic transitions. Elsewhere, tracks “Liars in Wait” and “Voidhanger” embrace the vicious side with roiling percussion and blackened tremolo that is funneled through this palette and warped into something disconcerting and gloomy. This is guided by vocalist Ilias Apostolakis’ almost disjointed vocal approach, usually relying on a distant shriek or drawling roar.

The fluid and miasmic movement in the thick string attack of Maze sets the swampy setting, and Sun of Nothing’s variations feel like a soul attempting to break free of this labyrinth. Apostolakis’ vocals take center stage in staggering repetition in “Liars in Wait” and “After the Fall,” his sermonic roars reaching their breaking point in brutality and viciousness across the gloomy and droning guitars, feeling nearly uncomfortable in the nihilistic dichotomy. The chuggy riffs of “Voidhanger” and their nihilistic leads feel like a steel-toed boot kicking open a cheap apartment door, while the closing melodies feel like Sun of Nothing’s only moment of crystalline sadness rather than despondence. “Ghost Maze” offers more blackened influence in rattling blastbeats and simmering tension, as its blackened approach seems to simply add to the gloom rather than attempt to punch through it – a gloom that is capitalized upon in closer “Buried Endeavors” for a sound whose droning is emotional as well as instrumental.

Sun of Nothing’s sound may not be the most unique in its blend of sludgy post-metal, black metal, and noise rock, as acts like Hail Spirit Noir and Praise the Plague bend the definition of “post-black” to include more of the post-metal heft in this way. Maze’s breed of intensity is not always easy to cut through, as every movement points to its emphasis is on despondence and atmosphere, and memorable movements can be often an afterthought; simply put, Maze will not be for everyone. However, the Greek quartet’s ability to warp brutality and meditation to uniquely paint a picture of bleakness stands apart from their counterparts. But for those willing to revel in existential gloom, Sun of Nothing will offer a haze like few others.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Venerate Industries
Websites: sunofnothing.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/Sun0fNothing
Releases Worldwide: February 16th, 2024

#2024 #35 #BlackMetal #Blindead #Cranial #Feb24 #GreekMetal #HailSpiritNoir #Industrial #Isis #LLNN #Maze #Neurosis #NoiseRock #PostBlackMetal #PostMetal #postPunk #PraiseThePlague #Review #Reviews #SludgeMetal #SunOfNothing #VenerateIndustries

Sun of Nothing – Maze Review

By Dear Hollow

Few albums reveled in existential despair like Sun of Nothing’s The Guilt of Feeling Alive. While punishing in ways that recall Neurosis or Blindead, it settled heavily into tension and despondence beneath the devastation. It always hinted at something without fully grasping it, fluid and powerful heft contrasting with an overwhelming bleakness. Despite its black metal influence, Sun of Nothing did not offer a bleakness like DSBM’s passing glance at a winter landscape, but represented the grey of its troubling cover art: the day-in and day-out of a cold, tired, and worn city, shrouded in smog. For its first album in fourteen years, the Greek quartet has offered something that stands shoulder to shoulder.

Maze is stacked with expectation, and it delivers. Sun of Nothing could have stayed in The Guilt’s lane and played it safe, but they amp up the punishment, hone the dichotomy, and paint a bleaker and more desperate picture than its predecessor could have imagined. Thick sludge riffs are the most noticeable, weighty affairs that recall post-metal’s more vicious moments in Cranial or LLNN, with dissonant leads that don’t necessarily dwell in eeriness and darkness as much as gloom and despondence. Contrasting this droning palette is a black metal-inclined vocal attack whose soul in torment feels like a cry to break through tar-thick monotony. A rusty edge of noisy post-punk graces Maze with a palpable clanking and mammoth repetition that drives the nail deeper, while the songwriting of everything “post-” graces the tired proceedings with a repetitive and nihilistic krautrock approach. Sun of Nothing takes their signature sound deeper with an emphasis on mood and atmosphere. It’s a desperate and hopeless wandering through the human maze, a crooked path we all walk.

The foundation upon which Sun of Nothing builds its songcraft is a simple one, rooted in post-metal. Tension is established with slightly disconcerting minor riffs and a smoky, sludgy distortion, with dissonant plucking and melodic counterbalances. Centerpiece “Ghost Maze” and closer “Buried Endeavors” are great examples of this, Isis-esque rhythms and patient growth balanced by these chords and an uncanny valley approach to melodic transitions. Elsewhere, tracks “Liars in Wait” and “Voidhanger” embrace the vicious side with roiling percussion and blackened tremolo that is funneled through this palette and warped into something disconcerting and gloomy. This is guided by vocalist Ilias Apostolakis’ almost disjointed vocal approach, usually relying on a distant shriek or drawling roar.

The fluid and miasmic movement in the thick string attack of Maze sets the swampy setting, and Sun of Nothing’s variations feel like a soul attempting to break free of this labyrinth. Apostolakis’ vocals take center stage in staggering repetition in “Liars in Wait” and “After the Fall,” his sermonic roars reaching their breaking point in brutality and viciousness across the gloomy and droning guitars, feeling nearly uncomfortable in the nihilistic dichotomy. The chuggy riffs of “Voidhanger” and their nihilistic leads feel like a steel-toed boot kicking open a cheap apartment door, while the closing melodies feel like Sun of Nothing’s only moment of crystalline sadness rather than despondence. “Ghost Maze” offers more blackened influence in rattling blastbeats and simmering tension, as its blackened approach seems to simply add to the gloom rather than attempt to punch through it – a gloom that is capitalized upon in closer “Buried Endeavors” for a sound whose droning is emotional as well as instrumental.

Sun of Nothing’s sound may not be the most unique in its blend of sludgy post-metal, black metal, and noise rock, as acts like Hail Spirit Noir and Praise the Plague bend the definition of “post-black” to include more of the post-metal heft in this way. Maze’s breed of intensity is not always easy to cut through, as every movement points to its emphasis is on despondence and atmosphere, and memorable movements can be often an afterthought; simply put, Maze will not be for everyone. However, the Greek quartet’s ability to warp brutality and meditation to uniquely paint a picture of bleakness stands apart from their counterparts. But for those willing to revel in existential gloom, Sun of Nothing will offer a haze like few others.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Venerate Industries
Websites: sunofnothing.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/Sun0fNothing
Releases Worldwide: February 16th, 2024

#2024 #35 #BlackMetal #Blindead #Cranial #Feb24 #GreekMetal #HailSpiritNoir #Industrial #Isis #LLNN #Maze #Neurosis #NoiseRock #PostBlackMetal #PostMetal #postPunk #PraiseThePlague #Review #Reviews #SludgeMetal #SunOfNothing #VenerateIndustries