Hymir - Nyctophobia
Hymir's debut album, 'Nyctophobia,' is a symphonic black metal masterpiece with touches of melodic death metal. Oddly enough, one might think due to the band name that Hymir would be more focused on viking metal and Norse mythology, but they would be sorely mistaken. Right from the start one can tell it's going to be a treat of an album, with a very enjoyable melodic death metal styled riffs and segmented drumming amongst blackened vocals and a thick, symphonic backdrop that uses keyboards and choirs to great effect. The opening track, "Nightmarish Illumination," is full of spooky moments with the keyboards and excellent melodies within the chugging riffs that may seem generic, but are layered well enough to the standards of a seasoned band like Dark Tranquillity; even the guitar solos are pretty well structured so they aren't too fast or too boring. The vocals are a rasping snarl that are just right for the music without being too high or low. They keyboards themselves switch between the typical ambient, creepy gothic feel to a more beautiful, clear cut piano sound.
Other tracks like "Poltergeist" are more standard symphonic black metal- along the lines of a band like Shade Empire or Dimmu Borgir- but still very catchy and enjoyable with how the riffs are played out in their chugging, yet repetitive format. The keyboards are still there, but more buried in the background. "Reminiscence" really brings the gothic atmosphere to life by starting out heavy, then slowing down for a very dark, atmospheric style with the piano and then exploding again. The two part "Sorrow Turned In Death" is a great example of symphonic blackened death metal. The first part is a drum heavy, symphonic orchestra of beauty while the second part is more of the usual black metal style, but still features some symphonic moments that mirror the first half at the same time, especially when it comes to the piano use. "What The Moon Reveals" is probably the most 'generic' black metal track on the album, mostly due to the vocals and how they suddenly take on that 'robotic/ distorted' feel that Dimmu Borgir uses a lot, making the band seem more like their emulating the group rather than trying to strive for their own sound; it's not a terrible track, just not as good as some of the others.
Closing on the title track, Hymir show fans their best display of merging symphonic metal and black metal yet with a raging cacophony of orchestral elements and guitar melodies, both agressively harsh and catchy at the same time. It's perhaps the one time they really try to cut into listeners with their music and it works to great effect. Overall, this is a pretty cool album to get into if one is a fan of melodic death metal or symphonic black metal. Some may say Hymir sound far too much like Dimmu Borgir in their tendency to focus on orchestral elements, but they form a style distinct enough to be enjoyed without seeming too cheesy or carbon copied.
Other tracks like "Poltergeist" are more standard symphonic black metal- along the lines of a band like Shade Empire or Dimmu Borgir- but still very catchy and enjoyable with how the riffs are played out in their chugging, yet repetitive format. The keyboards are still there, but more buried in the background. "Reminiscence" really brings the gothic atmosphere to life by starting out heavy, then slowing down for a very dark, atmospheric style with the piano and then exploding again. The two part "Sorrow Turned In Death" is a great example of symphonic blackened death metal. The first part is a drum heavy, symphonic orchestra of beauty while the second part is more of the usual black metal style, but still features some symphonic moments that mirror the first half at the same time, especially when it comes to the piano use. "What The Moon Reveals" is probably the most 'generic' black metal track on the album, mostly due to the vocals and how they suddenly take on that 'robotic/ distorted' feel that Dimmu Borgir uses a lot, making the band seem more like their emulating the group rather than trying to strive for their own sound; it's not a terrible track, just not as good as some of the others.
Closing on the title track, Hymir show fans their best display of merging symphonic metal and black metal yet with a raging cacophony of orchestral elements and guitar melodies, both agressively harsh and catchy at the same time. It's perhaps the one time they really try to cut into listeners with their music and it works to great effect. Overall, this is a pretty cool album to get into if one is a fan of melodic death metal or symphonic black metal. Some may say Hymir sound far too much like Dimmu Borgir in their tendency to focus on orchestral elements, but they form a style distinct enough to be enjoyed without seeming too cheesy or carbon copied.
- Nightmarish Illumination
- Let The World Be Cold
- Poltergeist
- Fractal Deliberation
- Reminiscence
- And Sorrow Turned In Death (Part 1)
- And Sorrow Turned In Death (Part 2)
- Soul Monolith
- What The Moon Reveals
- Nyctophobia
Self released
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
Mar 26, 2011
Mar 26, 2011
Next review:
Einfall- The Art To Enslave
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