From the depths of Italy Hierophant are a beast of their own.
The inception of the band saw the group lean heavily into the d-beat & hardcore side of music but the release of their album “Mass Grave” in 2016 saw the band start to craft their true sound.
“Death Siege” their now fourth album sees the band finally come into their own & create the best & the heaviest album to date.
Features ten tracks of the most blistering, chaotic & unrelenting punk, black metal & grind-influenced death metal 2022 has seen.
In interviews lead singer & guitarist Lorenzo Gulminelli has said “Mass Grave is more grind-ish whereas the new is far more metal and riff-oriented. The songs are longer and have more things happening in them, the album is overall far more ambitious and more, well, musical.” which is so very true about the album. The song writing throughout the album is top notch & very interesting.
The opener “Mortem Aeternam” may be a just over one minute intro but it’s constructed & executed perfectly to set the tone for the record as “Seeds of Vengeance” blasts & pierces the listeners eardrums.
Right from the first note this album is doing something raw & abrasive. The guitar tone is different & unique. Lorenzo Gulminelli’s vocal performance on this song & album is the shining light. A wretched & harrowing vocal style that fits perfectly with the album.
“DevilIncarnate” the follow up shows you just how well produced the album is & how in hand the brilliant song writing created a sense of dread, fear & panic.
Creating a wall of noise but still being an album to hear every instrument is a hard feat but with Alex Conti behind the mixing, recording & producing title it’s the perfect sound for what Hierophant are trying to convey.
This track has a bouncing rhythm that carries the song, somewhat hardcore in its DNA but 100% black / death metal here.
My favourite track on the first half is by far “Crypt of Existence”.
This track to me sounds like an ungodly mix of say the Swedish sound of Grave & Entombed with the mystic cloak of Mayhem. This track is a mammoth of blast beats & thunderous bass which also shows Fabio Carretti’s top notch lead playing on the album.
Now when it comes to the later half of the album the band somehow are able to turn all the dials to 11. To add more punishment & hatred.
The title track is the strongest & best on the album which is a rare case for bands but this track is the best song the band have written to date.
As Lorenzo Gulminelli screams DEATH SIEGE!! The band erupts with despicably filthy termolo riffing & echoing blasting.
Somehow Lorenzo’s vocal performance has also turned up a notch and is even more excruciating.
This track pummels you in all senses but still leaves you wanting more. Hierophant are really carving their own path but are also able to stand with some of the giants like Watian, Behemoth, Mayhem right now as one of the best blackened death metal bands in the last few years.
This album has everything you could want & gives you more than you can handle. This album is a new chapter for Hierophant & will be making my top 5 of the year list!
Joseph Mitchell
Death Siege is out via Season of Mist / Underground Activists on 26th August 2022
Track-list ‘Death Siege’
1.Mortem Aeternam
2.Seeds of Vengeance
3.Devil incarnate
4.Bloodbath Compendium
5.Crypt of Existence
6.Interlude
7.In Chaos, In Death
8.Abysmal Annihilation
9.Death Siege
10.Nemesis of Thy Mortals
Recording Studio:
‘Death Siege’ has been recorded in Italy between June and July 2021.
Drums at Duna Studio, Russi (RA).
Guitars, Bass and Vocals at SNK Studio, Ferrara (FE).
Produced by
Hierophant & Alex Conti + Recorded by Alex Conti
Mixed by
Alex Conti
Recording line-up
Lorenzo Gulminelli – rythm guitars, vocals
Fabio Carretti – lead guitars
Gianmaria Mustillo – bass
Alessandro Vagnoni – drums (as a session drummer)
Artwork cover: Abomination Hammer
Formats:
-Jewel Case CD
-Gatefold LP in various colours