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░ ██ ██ Artist: Samael ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Hegemony █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2017 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2017-10-27 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Metal ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Napalm Records ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ Striking the right balance between extremity and █
█ pageantry can't be an easy undertaking, █
█ particularly for those whom û in their formative █
█ years û marched to an exceptionally darker beat. █
█ More often than not, maturation in the realm of █
█ symphonic-infused metal can take on an air of █
█ pomposity. Some notable examples of black metal █
█ getting perhaps a little too bloated on the █
█ baroque include Dimmu Borgir's last studio effort, █
█ Abrahadabra, as well as the way-over-the-top █
█ Thornography from Dani Fith and his black lace and █
█ eyeliner-clad cohorts in Cradle Of Filth. █
█ █
█ Now, don't get me wrong, it's not that the █
█ above-mentioned examples are necessarily bad. Not █
█ at all. It's just that each will be forever █
█ defined by their seemingly self-important excesses █
█ of the sub-genre that birthed them. █
█ █
█ So, what are the rules û if any û when composing █
█ for the Helvete Philharmonic Orchestra? █
█ █
█ Like any great black metal band worth their weight █
█ in blackened, heaving earth, the first order of █
█ business should always be malevolence. Every █
█ single song should likely make an effort to █
█ achieve an underlying air of misery and calamity. █
█ Sure, symphonic elements can certainly contribute █
█ to this û sometimes even enhance û but more often █
█ that not they do the exact opposite by enveloping █
█ the rancor in a big warm, fuzzy blanket. █
█ █
█ Similar to Dimmu and Cradle, Swiss blackened █
█ symphonic/industrial-tinged legends Samael began █
█ their tri-decade career in much the same manner as █
█ most early black metal bands: raw, primitive and █
█ to-the-core evil. The triumvirate of blasphemy █
█ that was their first three full-length albums █
█ (Worship Him, Blood Ritual, Ceremony Of Opposites) █
█ rivaled that of the Norwegian contingent in its █
█ crepuscular cacophony: the misery and calamity █
█ present in spades. It wasn't until 96's Passage █
█ that fans were met with their first real taste of █
█ the Samael symphonic experience. This was, for █
█ most of the band's early adopters, the beginning █
█ of the end. █
█ █
█ Throughout the latter part of the 90's and into █
█ the 00's, the name Samael could no doubt be found █
█ in the playlists of every DJ spinning their █
█ medieval-meets-cyberwar wares in dark, dingy █
█ gothic clubs the world over. From here on out █
█ things got decidedlyà bouncy. Gone was the █
█ foundation of black metal, quite literally █
█ obliterated from existence. This phase of artistic █
█ maturation û which included some truly forgetable █
█ albums in Reign Of Light, Era One, and Solar Soul █
█ û was tantamount to a full-scale rechristening of █
█ the band's sound. It wasn't until 2009's █
█ well-received return-to-form, Above, that things █
█ started to come full-circle. █
█ █
█ We can likely all agree that Samael will never be █
█ the same band that released the genre-defining █
█ Worship Him over a quarter century ago. I have no █
█ delusions as it relates to this. I get it. That █
█ being said, we are likely the closest we are ever █
█ gonna get to that happening with their brand new, █
█ eleventh full-length effort, Hegemony. Defined by █
█ the band as an album that has its roots in the █
█ past, Hegemony also serves to carry the band into █
█ the future. This transition is no more apparent █
█ than in the songs ôRite Of Renewalö and ôLand Of █
█ The Livingö, the pair dealing in the circle of █
█ life and the idea of rebirth. Both tracks are █
█ picture-perfect examples in the art of creating █
█ engaging symphonic-infused black metal. █
█ █
█ Clearly taking cues from Greek symphonic masters █
█ Septicflesh, who utilize the orchestral elements █
█ to elevate their compositions into film score-like █
█ realms û yet never at the expense of sheer █
█ malevolence û so too has Samael employed similar █
█ techniques. Gone are the overtly-bouncy, club-like █
█ moments. In its place are passages that once again █
█ explore what it means to be a symphonic black █
█ metal band, crafting perfectly balanced odes to █
█ both Lucifer and Beethoven alike. █
█ █
█ Yes, Hegemony sees Samael returning to their █
█ roots. More importantly, it's an album that █
█ catapults this once very relevant band into the █
█ here and now. A closer listen reveals moments not █
█ too far removed from today's biggest and best. Be █
█ it the groove-oriented extremity of Gojira in the █
█ swirling-staccato of closing track "Helter █
█ Skelter", or the Swedish █
█ melo-death-meets-black-metal-like vibe of the █
█ album's best song, "Black Supremacy". The latter █
█ is undoubtedly Samael's finest moment since '94's █
█ "Black Trip"à good luck getting its chorus outta █
█ your head anytime soon! █
█ █
█ http://www.samael.info/ █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Hegemony 3:47 ░
░ 2. Samael 3:58 ░
░ 3. Angel of Wrath 3:29 ░
░ 4. Rite of Renewal 4:31 ░
░ 5. Red Planet 3:58 ░
░ 6. Black Supremacy 3:50 ░
░ 7. Murder or Suicide 4:03 ░
░ 8. This World 3:42 ░
░ 9. Against All Enemies 4:31 ░
░ 10. Land of the Living 4:05 ░
░ 11. Dictate of Transparency 3:58 ░
░ 12. Helter Skelter 3:26 ░
░ 13. Storm of Fire (bonus) 4:11 ░
░ 51:29 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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