Hortus Animae – Waltzing Mephisto
Hortus Animae – Waltzing Mephisto
Symbol of Domination
Release Date: 31/10/2023
Running Time: 46:34
Review by Oli Gonzalez
7/10
Quiz time. What were you doing in 2003? What bands were you listening to back then? For me personally, I was still in primary school, discovering the likes of Killswitch Engage, Ill Niño, and Rammstein. Chances are for most is that Hortus Animae’s release of “Waltzing Mephisto” crept under the radar. Now here we are, twenty years later and the Italian Gothic Extreme Metal band are on the eve of re-releasing this seminal piece for the band. To mark the occasion, they’ll also feature a second album’s worth of live material as part of a double release. Nice! Let’s get into it.
I was curious to see how the band would incorporate elements of Extreme Metal in a Gothic-infused style. Something slow and moody laced with heavy mid-range growls? Perhaps in the style of Draconian? Or leaning more towards Type O Negative, in a more synth heavy approach and some down-in-your-boots low-range vocals? To be honest, I didn’t get either of these. This was different. The pace was much faster through the majority of the album, closer to that of a Black Metal record. Structurally? Well, forget about any conventional song verse-chorus cookie cutter style conventions. The band’s willingness to experiment and create Metal in their own image is certainly what adds a Progressive edge. I think the use of synths and other non-conventional keys offers an Avant-Garde edge. Much in the way very early Enslaved did with Vikingligr Veldi. In fact, as I’m typing this, I can hear one of the catching synth melodies stuck on a loop inside my head. If it’s penetrated my subconscious like this, then as a band you’ve done something right! Vocally though, I’m not too keen. For me, the vocals are a bit too abrasive, lacking clarity and diction. Still, I think it’s separates the band from others in this niche sub-genre.
The production feels deliberately dirty and retrograde, which I think is necessary to pull off this raw Gothic style. It doesn’t seem like any significant remastering work has been done to the original. If it’s not broken, why fix it?
I haven’t really mentioned any individual songs yet. That’s because, in truth, the majority of the album seems to blend into one huge-blackened wave of Gothic Metal! This is one that I think is designed to be listened to in its entirety rather that nit picking one or two songs. With this being said, one song features the iconic Tubular Bells riff to close out in an extended outro (I’ll let you find out which riff). Normally, I’m not a fan of covers though I think it’s great that Hortus Animae have taken this iconic riff and truly made it their signature Gothic Extreme style. However, isn’t it a bit concerning that one of the most salient features on the album is a cover? On the subject of covers, this album features a bonus track; another cover, this time ‘You’re Dead’ originally performed by Norma Tanega. I find that unusual, to add a cover as a bonus track and then making nearly a quarter of the album material not originally composed by the artist. This bonus track doesn’t feel as special to me. An unreleased demo would have worked here I thought, or a brand new track.
Overall, Hortus Animae offer something unique to the world of extreme music with their gothic and progressive style of metal. Some catchy hooks but nothing that I would consider genre defying or ground breaking.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Enter (Part 1)
02. Enter (Part 2)
03. A Lifetime Obscurity (Part 1)
04. A Lifetime Obscurity (Part 2)
05. Springtime Deaths
06. Souls of the Cold Wind
07. Welcome the Godless
08. Freezing Moon including Terzo Incontro and Tubular Bells (Mayhem / Il Balletto di Bronzo / Mike Oldfield covers)
09. A Feeble Light of Hope
10. You’re Dead (Part 1) (Norma Tanega cover) [bonus track]
11. You’re Dead (Part 2) (Norma Tanega cover) [bonus track]
LINE-UP:
Martyr Lucifer – vocals
Hypnos – guitars
Bless – synth, piano, keyboards
MG Desmadre – guitars
Adamant – bass
Jotunn – drums
LINKS:
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