There are some entities out there in the vastness of the underground that simply cannot be kept in one spot for too long. Whether it’s because of their ambition, talent, vision, creativity, or some combination of them all, there are just some people that seem almost compelled to continuously add onto the magnificence that the underground has to offer in a way that only they can. It was eight years ago when the anomaly of Les Chants du Hasard came before me, and it’s still something that rocks me to my core for its vision and execution. Then, it was two years ago that the far more metal-focused act of Hasard was born from the same mastermind. Now, it’s with the second offering from Hasard that I find myself nigh on bewildered by what a single man can invoke and deliver in such overwhelming quality.

Whereas it’s with Les Chants du Hasard that we’re given a unique approach to nineteenth-century symphonies done with the light of a black metal mindset, it was with Hasard that we fully realized the scope with which this mastermind, fittingly named Hazard, had over his craft. Hasard’s debut of “Malivore” laid the groundwork for this act to really become its own entity as it took on the opposite side of the same coin that Les Chants du Hasard inhabits, and it’s with every step taken within “Abgnose” that we see that very direction furthered and taken to such a greater extent that one cannot help but be buckled to their knees before such awesome might. Driven by dark symphonies and a masterful understanding of how black metal can be interwoven with such elements alongside the calculated power that comes with such a sound, it’s practically every given moment of “Abgnose” that demands your full attention lest some small nuances pass you by. There isn’t a shred of glory about this record that’s worth missing. Revolving around the concepts of chance with the here-and-now, “Abgnose” certainly feels like the sort of creation that shifts like the wind itself. Organic in its songwriting yet nonetheless awe-inspiring for what sights it forces your eyes open to witness.

The vast talent of Hasard is something that certifiably cannot be denied now as if it ever could have been before for it’s in each inch of “Abgnose” that demands your attention lest it rips your soul asunder through its swirling power. Where innovation and vision drive many throughout the underground to tap into something new and invigorating in an underground that can sometimes feel constricting in its ways, acts like Hasard stand tall for all that they have to offer with the sheer determination alongside undeniable prowess making for a performance that is downright compelling from beginning to end.

“Abgnose” releases on September 5th via I, Voidhanger Records!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Abgnose” on Bandcamp here.

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FOLLOW Hasard on Instagram here.