HYPNO5E - Sheol

HYPNO5E

Album: Sheol

Genre: Avantgarde / Modern Prog Metal

Release Date: February 24th, 2023

Country: France

Label: Pelagic Records

Band-Links: BANDCAMP / WEBSITE / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK

After having released the ambitious “A Distant (Dark) Source” in 2018, followed by the artistic triumph of its live recording in 2021, French avantgarde metal band HYPNO5E are back with their sixth studio album, which will be unveiled on February 24th via Pelagic Records. The album’s title “Sheol” refers to the “distant dark source” as described on the band’s previous record, which saw them conjure up a night on the old shores of lake Tauca, following a man's search for the ghost of his beloved woman. Together, the two albums are supposed to build a cycle, which also fits to the meaning of “Sheol”, as in the Hebrew Bible this is the place where all souls meet after their death to remain in silence and turn to dust again.

The intro is gloomy and melancholic, with a man’s thoughtful voice taking us to the “Lands of Haze”, which come along mighty, hard-hitting and dissonant first, then turn around to become beautifully harmonic. HYPNO5E continue to let grow their music in these kind of waves - Intense and highly expressive! Same can be told about the following “Bone Dust”, which starts with tense soundscapes and a mesmerizing melodic part, then builds up with complex rhythmic and a strong bass line towards the powerful breakdown. Fans of HYPNO5E might be familiar with these twists already, and what can I say… they even further developed this compared to their previous work. Those who are new to the party: Be prepared for a wild ride between sophisticated, harsh and wonderfully melodious parts. And we’re just three tracks in…

“Tauca – Part I – Another” gives the listener a moment to rest, having only acoustic guitar and mesmerizing polyphonic vocals. Next up is “Lava From the Sky”, which first remains into these calmer fields, then their music explodes again. “The Dreamer and his Dream” is one of my favorites with its mystic beginning that moves into a real rollercoaster. It's great to hear how they take their time to let the songs grow, with a lot happening in the background, catching me with their creativity and incredible sense for soundscapes and rhythmic. They close the album with "Slow Steams Of Darkness" which consists of two parts, with the first one being a kind of an introduction to the furious 12-minutes finale.

Even though "Sheol" is divided in different tracks, the album should be seen and heard in its entirety. While HYPNO5E's music can easily be described as experimental, the different elements are woven into each other naturally and perfectly, uniting the album(s) to a wonderful new whole. Musicianship, song-writing and production are excellent, with much love for the details and an amazing sense for atmospheric sounds. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for an “easy listening” you might be wrong here, and speaking for myself, it's not a record for every day (especially not the stressful ones). But if you’re up for an intense, challenging ride full of emotions, this musical piece of art is absolutely worth to dive deep into.

Written by Katha