There are many things that can go into black metal with influence coming from an infinite number of sources, yet it’s those that think outside of the box and go for something which can only be described as not of this earthly world that we’re able to get works of the genre that really stand out right from the beginning. We’ve seen plenty of instances of such brought to the table with varying levels of success, but there’s something so alluring about black metal that taps into something of an ethereal nature that we’re not able to ever really ignore for one reason or another. Few are able to truly embody that sentiment. Rising from the ashes of what came before, it’s under its new name that Hierophany unveils a new visage that is simply fascinating to behold.

It’s more than a little cliche to come upon a work of black metal and witness it embodying occultic themes that can take on many different forms born from many different cultures, but it’s those that are able to twist all that into something that feels genuine and unique that the concept still has more than enough to offer those that put in the work to summon it forth. I had a feeling Hierophany was planning on tapping into some of that potential given the cover art of its new album, “Tenebrario”, but these six tracks are far more. Dark, atmospheric at times, and undeniable in its sinister intent for whatever schemes it has up its sleeves, this is a record that went all in, held nothing back, and hit the nail right on the head when it was all said and done. This is far from a record that’s designed to make you feel good in any way. “Tenebrario” is unrelenting even when you find Hierophany in a bout of ritualistic splendor only for that to cave to black metal madness, offering a powerful dynamic that is as unyielding as it is surprisingly nuanced. The vast experience of the musicians behind Hierophany offers us a good idea of what this act was already capable of, but there’s some menacing magic about “Tenebrario” that is hard to pin down, yet it quickly reveals itselfe as layered, evocative, and downright terrifying at times. By the time the haunting voices of “Tenebrario” cease, your very being has been transmuted into something entirely different, a thrall to the overwhelming power of Hierophany.

This band was already capable of much given its previous incarnation, but it is with everything delivered in this resurrection that I cannot help but feel as though the Mexican unit has tapped into something of a special sort with the results no less than captivating. Evolving into a primal beast that’s as ferocious as it is suspenseful, it’s “Tenebrario” that embodies the occult side of black metal in such a way that is ever so sweet to become lost within.

LISTEN to “Tenebrario” on Bandcamp here.

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