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Band: Haissem
Album title: Philosofiend
Release date: 27 March 2021
Label: Satanath Records
Genre: Melodic Black/Death Metal
Tracklist:
01. An Inspiration For My Inner Carnifex
02. Gore Painted Vacuum
03. Bliss Apocryphal
04. Despising The Infidels
05. La Confesiо́n Del Diablo Blanco
06. Voluntary Exile
07. Archetype Of Malice
Hailing from Ukraine, Haissem is a melodic black/death metal ruled by the sole member Andrey Tollock. This solo project was born in 2014 with the initial purpose of honouring the melodic black metal of the 90s. But Tollock creative mind fancied for more, so he started several musical experiments that led him to create a diversified extreme metal style.
The first release takes place in 2016, Maze Of Perverted Fantasies. Since then, two more release took place. In 2017, Hatavism and 2018 Panacea For A Cursed Race. But the turning point came in 2019 with Demonotone, an album with a well-built death metal approach. This ripping and blasting album featured guest musicians on vocals, Denis Schwan, also known as Zhora Bredor (ex-Bredor) and Dmitriy Kufley (Datura, Stalino, Imitation). A month after Demonotone resounding release, Tollock delivered an EP, Amputears. Surprising its fans once again, the EP brought a much more atmospheric addressing and depressing lyrics. Haissem caught the attention of Satanath Records and, on 22nd March 2020 was released the album Kuhaghan Tyyn. Once again a captivating work that used ethnic instruments, multi-genre arrangements in addition to melodic black metal.
Now on 27th March 2021, Tollock struck us again with the fifth full-length album, Philosofiend. A collaboration of Satanath Records in co-production with Exhumed Records from Ecuador. Philosofiend is aggressive, sharp and has not lost its melodic appeal. Employ a variety of elements and styles, is pleasant to the ears of any metal lover. The tracks are interesting individually and the album entirely as well.
I will point out my favourite tracks in this review. The first track, "An Inspiration For My Inner Carnifex". An explosive and brutal black metal. Here and there, guitars unfold emotionally as well the drums, that from an intense flood, retract to a more melodic tone. In the follow-up, "Gore Painted Vacuum" starts more melodic with a jarring hint, and the bass is strong and does not hide. The track unfolds quickly and harmoniously. I loved the burly riffs and the blackened passion that are released here. In "Despising The Infidels", I want to highlight the excellent work of the bass. Combined with the melody of the guitars and drums, in addition to the hellishly screams. My icing on the cake is the last track. “Archetype Of Malice” sweetly more balanced, well ordered and dense. All the instruments stand out here. Each of them has its unique moment, but at the same time, cohesively and well-distributed together. My most special highlight goes to the guitar solo that starts at 2:11 and extends for almost one minute. Enough time to close my eyes and let myself transported by Tollock dexterity.
Finally, I would like to say that Haissem is a band that increasingly shows its excellence and ability to create. Philosofiend is a pleasant and intelligent album, one of my top 10 albums from March.
The review was written by Felin Frost
Rating: 8/10
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