Five The Hierophant - 2024 - Apeiron
(47:49; Agonia Records)
According to Wikipedia, “A hierophant (Ancient Greek: ἱεροφάντης, romanized: hierophántēs) is a person who brings religious congregants into the presence of that which is deemed holy. As such, a hierophant is an interpreter of sacred mysteries and arcane principles.” If ever a band chose the perfect name, then it is this, as here we have a band creating something which is incredibly special, full of meaning, and one can easily imagine it forming part of holy rites. Apparently, this is their third album, and there were some line-up changes not long before they entered the studio for this one, but given I know nothing about the band I cannot say if that has had any impact on their sound or if they have changed direction from their earlier material. This time around Jon (sax) and Kali (guitars, effects) have been rejoined by original drummer/percussionist Chris, along with new bassist Gavin (who is also a member of sludge/doom outfit Bast).
I have been trying to think of who they remind me of, and the closest I can get to is Yeti Rain, but to be honest these guys are out there on their own. This is packed full of dark emotion and effects, with the haunting sax laying down demented whale-like calls from the deep. There is black metal, doom, psychedelic, ambient, experimental, jazz, industrial, all coming at the listener like a deep heavy weight, almost as if the unmanned tanker is deep in the fog and still calling out its booming horn letting others know where it is, but it is impossible to identify where the sound is coming from as it swirls through the gloom. It is progressive in its truest sense of the word as it brings together different genres and styles to create hypnotic, hallucinatory experience with heavy emphasis on the dark atmosphere, cinematic dreamscapes, and repetitive ritualistic trance-inducing sounds. There is an evil presence within this, a foreboding, a knowledge that this is the harbinger of something awful, which we feel compelled to await as we feel in awe of its majesty while at the same time fearing to gaze upon its countenance.
This is something which must be played on headphones, and at the correct volume, as it is only then that the full horrific impact becomes apparent. This is not for people who want their music to be bright and light, but for those who inhabit the dark edges, for those who dare to pass into the shadows and see what lies within. It may not be normal, it will probably impact those who hear it forever, and it is certainly not safe, but it is never boring.
Kev Rowland, January 2025
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