Where does one even begin when discussing talent that can be deemed truly representative of their style and craft? At some point, there are bands and names out there in the underground that rise to such heights that they become wholly synonymous with the genre that they perform, yet, as you might expect, it takes several years across multiple albums and long nights of hard work to achieve such an exalted reputation. Even then, only the exceptional earn the title as a true face of their sound. For some time now, Hooded Menace has been in contention to be hailed as such when it comes to what modern death-doom can still bring to the table. They’ve been on one hell of a streak for years now, and it’s with the arrival of their newest venture into the misty macabre that I cannot help but feel as though Hooded Menace has earned the right to be hailed as one of the genre’s certifiable best.

Whether we like it or not, there will always be a push-and-pull, yin-and-yang dynamic between the old and the new when it comes to what metal brings to the table. Each has their own arguments, but I feel as though some of the best and most engaging creations in the genre are to be found somewhere in the middle of the two realms. It’s a tricky thing to pull off in any sound, yet those that are able to execute it with precision and mastery ascend to great heights. Having done just that for death-doom for several years now, it’s with the entirety of “Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration” that Hooded Menace outdoes itself in practically every form to deliver an album that’s equally crushing and blissful whilst being undeniably potent in its menace and macabre majesty. The raw essence that Hooded Menace commands here is singularly captivating! Throwing down masterfully executed melodies while ensuring their personal brand of intensity is furthered and deadly in its delicate nuances, the very dead seem to rise at the will of Hooded Menace whose power has long been nothing to contest, yet it’s here that they have seemed to tap into something else altogether. “Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration” holds nothing back, but leaves you desperately salivating for more! The rattling bones of the dead play an integral part to what Hooded Menace pulls off here with the magic of the record itself being born out of reverence for the classics yet consistently paving a new path forward for the band and its sound.

What we’re given here is a true representation of what death-doom can still be and how it can have one foot in two different realms with nothing but wild success to show for its efforts. Hooded Menace has been on a tremendous rise ever since its debut, and everything about this record is more than worthy of being argued as the band’s most accomplished and mature work to date. The underworld itself trembles before the might of “Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration” with Hooded Menace a truly commanding presence in every given instance!

“Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration” releases on October 3rd via Season of Mist!

LISTEN to advanced tracks from “Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration” on Bandcamp here.

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