Finland’s Hooded Menace return after 3 and a half years with their sixth full length release, and what a sound for sore ears it is. It is easy to see why these guys are held in such high esteem around the globe for their catchy melodic brand of Doom/Death. Last album, the tongue twistingly titled “Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed” is an opus chock filled with grim, heavy, crushing metal and the Finns don’t disappoint with the follow up.
This time around the Finns have upped the classic metal with more than a hint of Mercyful Fate and Dio in amongst the classic Asphyx and Bolt Thrower brutality.. Following the classic sounding instru-intro Chthonic Exordium first track proper Chime Diabolicus bursts forth like an undead power metal demon. Big ballsy riff, throbbing bass and drums that you could decapitate an orc to. Then, oh but then, the drop to a gargantuan doomy passage and those vast harsh growls of Harri Kuokkanen that sound like he is going to devour you head first. Then as you hit the bile in his belly and begin to be disintegrated a soaring guitar line from Lasse Pyykko hooks you out like some metallic angler and thrusts you onto the filthy bank where you are pummelled by the riffage of Teemu Hannonen. Think you are safe?
Bollocks to that the rumble squad that is Pekka Koskelo and Lasse doubling up liquify your bones with low end. I apologise for the storytelling but this album is like that. It’s classic heavy metal. It’s escaping from the real world with big riffs and dirty basslines. It’s believing in monsters in wardrobes. It’s slow slam dancing in a field followed by mad shape throwing. IT’S METAL.
No irony. No sideways looks or winks or nudges just pure lush dirty evil abandonment.
“Blood Ornaments” has a cheeky little riff that could sit on Abigail quite comfortably (poor dear) layered over some choral flourishes and classic thrash parts all held together by an intimidating doom death atmosphere that drips sap and slime. Delightful.
As much as I am enjoying the change in tempo on this record (as the accompanying press release states up tempo – never fast) there are a couple of times that I wish the more galloping sections were shortened. They veer towards Amon Amarth territory which I am sure will garner more fans, I am just a sombre bastard who prefers things slower and gloomier with Hooded Menace. I notice this most on “Those Who Absorb the Night”. That is microscopic nit to pick on a giant hairy beast though!
“Corpus Asunder” also tears along at quite a pace at the outset before divebombing to a My Dying Bride passage that made my dark heart rejoice and “Scattered Into Dark” that follows it has a classic doom riff opening that will thicken necks everywhere. It’s not just heaviness though. This song along with the rest of the album is packed with hooks and even sing along moments that mean The Titronus Bell stays with you long after the distortion and bombast has faded from the speakers. The female spoken passage in “Scattered” adds a beguiling texture to the song and the melancholy guitar passage that follows is simply exquisite.
“Instruments of Somber Finality” offers a couple of minutes of early Metallica style instrumental break and is really the outro to the record. The guitar production on this really reminded me of “The Call of Ktulu” for some reason. Anyhoo, soon the nostalgic break is over and it’s time for a bonus track. Remember at the beginning of the review when I mentioned the classic 80’s thread that runs through the album? Well howzabout a W.A.S.P. cover to end things? “The Torture Never Stops” from the debut. It rocks, it rolls and of course it doesn’t have the sneer of Blackie’s razor sharp vocals but it works pretty well as a death n Roll rumble. A fitting end to a damn fine album.
Hooded Menace have continued to evolve whilst keping their darkness dripping from each chord. Great stuff.
(8.5/10 Matt Mason)
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