I first came across Hilastherion about 2 years ago, when my friends from Christian Metalheads International (C.M.I.) were conducting their very first Rainbow Rock Festival in Sweden 2017. This is when occurred I noticed a melodic blackened death metal band Hilastherion from Finland making their debut appearance at this new festival with a United States heavy metal kingpin Bloodgood headlining the bill.
It was then I started to seek out more from this growing popular metal band with obtaining two of their independent releases that was slowly building their profile through the underground world.
The band had been laying low over the last 12 months or more with very little activity to whatever we thought was minor until to our no surprise signing to Fort Wayne metal/alternative label Rottweiler Records (US) a couple of weeks ago. They have probably have worked on this for quite some time with their brand new E.P. following up from since their last full length outing “Signs Of The End” through label Die & Gain Records back in 2014 with “Psalm 59” due out on the 12th of April 2019.
Hilastherion and their brand new E.P. begins with their self titled track “Psalm 59” which mesmerises you with their melodic prowess, as the beauty holds you with a breathtakingly harmonious twin guitar instrumental to flow into their native singing tongue that gives such a gothic and yet doomy dark undertone. With a wonderful mix of dirty slack string bass and piano sounds it really adds the element that carries throughout all the aspects that you can relate to you with epic proportions.
As growling embarks the next level of the track it explodes into the true nature of the beast that you know will conceive within the blood flow, as it constructs into a mature level of songwriting that effortlessly breaks into a bass fuelled, howling keyboard interlude that continues into a operatic twin guitar mirror, that can only melt a power metal fan to nothing, that would even melt the wicked witch of the west who couldn’t even withstand such tranquil harmony. With that it introduces the final blow with Psalm 59 with the perfectly timed guitar solo which is expected from our brothers from Finland express our own spiritual European Union with what can be expected from such a high quality induction to their new chapter.
“When Sorrow Dies” quietly moves away to the stunning chaos to a high acoustic and electronic twinge that resembles a similar taste to an Antestor with their kind of dark and brooding pace that can entwine you with their own brand of brutal and yet dark expectancies. Heavily described as a melodic death metal band, really just generalises the art of the band creates their own construction of blended metal that could fit perfectly into any kind of pigeonhole material but, currently does have that rounded strong death metal direction. As their rhythm sections are probably the strongest elements of the band, Hilastherion again display their harmonious guitar work at the latter stages of the song which are more than acceptable.
“Hymns To The Creation Of God” finalises this expectation E.P. which imposes both previous tracks and even a strong influence of funk elements. Still engaging into the current trends that you would expect from Eastern European metal, particularly is a track both from different stand points combined. With fast paced complexities and with ongoing similarities of these regional elitists, Finland do show and express their common theme of sounds that I have currently heard over the last 30 years but, yet still hold a creative boldness that still flows as a force into today’s genuine delivery of extreme metal that impresses my respect and in-depth passions.
I’m seriously impressed with Rottweiler Records inclusion of Hilastherion to the fold of musical excellence. Proving of their continual talents is far beyond any recognition given and I’m seriously pleased with the outcome of this current incredible union.
The Metal Onslaught — 9/10
Christian Sullivan
