Hooded Menace – Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed
Seeing the album cover with figures of darkness almost instantly gave me a warm feeling. Not being familiar with the entire back catalog of Hooded Menace, this surely gave me a reason to want to give it a listen. I know judging an album by its cover is wrong, but was I pleasantly surprised by this one.
Starting the album from the beginning, I set myself on listening through it in its entirety. Goosebumps covered me as soon as the first chord was played. I sat back, cranking it up a little. What a journey of the senses this was. I cannot say enough good things about this album.
The haunting slow melody right at the beginning on Sempiternal Grotesqueries nearly put me in a dream like state, but it was definitely not planning on keeping me there. Soon I found myself in a change of tempo and I was back fully aware of this amazing sound. And that was only the music itself doing that. Where do I even begin to praise the vocals? It melts into the riffs, giving an even deeper and darker atmosphere.
I continued listening to the rest of the music and soon came across what I would definitely call my favourite track on the album, the third one, Cathedral of Labyrinthine Darkness. What a melody. I will even go as far as saying that this is my favourite song at the moment. The perfect fusing of the guitar solo into the melody surely made this song stand out to me above the rest.
The album continues deeper into this deep darkness of melodies that will take you into another world. With song titles like Cascade of Ashes and Charnel Reflections just imagine the journey you’re going to be on listening to this. The album closes off with a cover of my favourite Celtic Frost song, Sorrows of the Moon. This, as the entire album was extremely well done.
In conclusion –
With a brilliant release like Ossariuam Silhouettes Unhallowed this early in the year, Metal bands have a lot to live up to. I don’t believe in perfect albums, but this is damn near close.
I don’t believe in perfect albums, but this is damn near close.
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Nordic Metal Review
Summary
Starting the album from the beginning, I set myself on listening through it in its entirety. Goosebumps covered me as soon as the first chord was played. I sat back, cranking it up a little. What a journey of the senses this was. I cannot say enough good things about this album.
User Review
( vote)“Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed” – track list
- Sempiternal Grotesqueries
- In Eerie Deliverance
- Cathedral of Labyrinthine Darkness
- Cascade of Ashes
- Charnel Reflections
- Black Moss
- Sorrows of the Moon (Celtic Frost cover)
Hooded Menace Line-up
Harri Kuokkanen – Vocals
Pekka Koskelo – Drums
Lasse Pyykkö – Guitars
Teemu Hannonen – Rhythm Guitars
