More often than not when we get a band that falls into the realm of black metal, we normally aren’t treated to a display that’s can be classified as diverse or transformative by any means whatsoever, and that’s truly a damn shame because the style has always been prime real estate for a band that knows their way around the different sonic territories. It can lead to some truly interesting experiences the likes of which we just don’t see very often, and it’s here with their new album that Helleborus gives us a glorious example of that.

It can become really easy for any band of any style to accidentally find themselves having their songs throughout an album sound very much along the same lines without any sort of great variance between the songs to create a dynamic experience. The result can still be interesting and good, no doubt about it, but there’s something much more exciting about a record that can constantly keep you guessing as to what exactly the band is going to pull next, and “Saprophytic Divinations” is a perfect example of such. Helleborus pulled out what feels like all the stops when crafting this record as we’ve received an incredibly rich experience that brings together plenty of different levels of technicality, melody, power, and atmosphere in such a way that it becomes really clear really quickly that “Saprophytic Divinations” is not something to be underestimated or skipped over. This is a clear standout in the world of black metal to me as every track has something massive to call its own that Helleborus conducts with surprising potency and undeniable knowledge of their craft such that by the time “Saprophytic Divinations” comes crashing to an end, the listener is damn near compelled to listen to over and over again. It is downright infectious to experience as the venom works its way through your ears into your brain with astonishing speed, and it’s with each successive song that Helleborus impresses.

Such a work like this needs to be heralded more as this is very much a work that many people are clamoring for even if they don’t know it, and it’s only when we get releases like “Saprophytic Divinations” that we can realize how much we want to sink our teeth into it. Helleborus has done no less than an exemplary job here, and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least to see this band return to us stronger than ever when next we meet.

LISTEN to “Saprophytic Divinations” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Helleborus on Facebook here.