Review: “Unextinct” by Hideous Divinity

“Unextinct sets a new milestone for Hideous Divinity, another step towards musical unspoken terror and frenzy. Every song has become a world with its own dissonances and rules made to be broken. A soundtrack of a shipwreck with the best sound production we’ve ever had: our brother Stefano ‘Saul’ Morabito at 16th Cellar Studios really outdid himself.” ~ Hideous Divinity

Described as a philosophical inquiry set to the relentless cadence of death metal that explores the divine horror of numinous life and humanity’s futile sovereignty with each song acting as a eulogy, “Unextinct” is the fifth album in the illustrious career of Hideous Divinity. Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered once again by Stefano ‘Saul’ Morabito (Spiritual Deception, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Twitch Of The Death Nerve) at 16th Cellar Studios, it marks the Italian Technical Death Metal masters first commitment to tape with new drummer Edoardo Di Santo in the fold and comes three years after the Alien themed EP “LV-426” made it’s chest bursting appearance…

…Setting the tone with an atmospheric instrumental in “Dust Settles On Humanity” that sounds like you’re awaking the post apocalyptic wasteland of Pompeii after the eruption, a solid slab of crushing guitars acts to cleanse the mind and focus it on the events to come. But in truth can anything prepare the discerning listener for the onslaught of “The Numinous One“? A brutal Technical Death Metal offering that finds the quartet continuing their journey down the left hand path that began with “Simulacrum“, it’s both horrific and epically magnificent as the plague winds emanate from the throat of Enrico “H.” Di Lorenzo and howl down the ear canals to the cerebral cortex. An artillery shelling bombardment from Edoardo Di Santo provides covering fire as Enrico Schettino delivers the kind of riffs that most Extreme Metal guitarists would kill for before the rumbling bass from Stefano Franceschini bleeds into the mix in powerful fashion. A statement of intent, the oping cut of the record feels like being hit full in the face by a concrete paving slab while loving every single second. It’s as epic as something from Lorna Shore minus the symphonic touches and as brutal as anything Crown Magnetar have to offer. Flowing like a volcano’s eruption “Against The Sovereignty Of Mankind” narrates a rebellion against human dominance as a protagonist, unchosen and witnessing decay, seeks liberation and from somewhere finds the quartet increasing the intensity of the performance when it doesn’t seem possible. Staccato riff breaks with longer pauses than you might usually anticipate are masterfully executed while the clanky bass adds depth and texture in the final moments, leaving one in awe of the grandeur of the epic nature of the monstrosity.

A fleeting almost ethnic introduction moment adds a new horror as “Atto Quarto The Horror Paradox” climbs from the grave, the furious blast beats and jack hammer footwork that it summons creating a tornado of percussive battery capable of destroying cities. The surprise comes in the second half of the track as a darkly melodic passage boils over into a moment of Post-Metal with almost baritone guitars before the knife rises once more, laced with orchestration and thunders to a false ending of monstrous proportions. We’ve not heard a near nine minute cut from the Italians before but on this evidence, it’s something that they will dare to repeat should the desire take them. As absorbing and captivating as it is horrific, “Quasi-Sentient” then smashes the mirror in fear with the kind of Technical Death Metal riffs that bring bands like Inferi and Apogean to mind. The slow, churning sections approach nausea inducing hypnosis before the break out into a lightening paced moments with a blistering solo blow the mind… and yet this is merely the half way point. A palate cleansing moment of almost ethereal qualities rises from the black depths in the space age “Hair Dirt Mud“, its powerful closing passage feeling like suffering the act of forced trephination. Toying with sinister atmospherics “More Than Many Never One” ebbs and flows as it contorts reality to create a hellish soundscape. Bitter and black, it has at its heart another venomous vocal performance of unclean ferocity but there is also a moment of dark whisper that sends a chill down the spine.

Eerie and disturbing, interlude piece “Der Verlorene Sohn” (German for “The Lost Sun“) is a moment of ambience that feels like it’s been cut from a Stanley Kubrick inspired science fiction horror. It’s the kind of tune that is designed to stop the album from getting repetitive while ensuring that the final cuts stand out from the pack and does exactly what it says on the tin as “Mysterium Tremendum” (from the Latin for “A Terrible Mystery“) pummels the maddening crowd into submission. A cut of gargantuan proportions that is as barbaric as anything they’ve previously offered it actually cuts short; stopping on a dime when it could have easily gone on for another couple of minutes, the interplay between the instruments littered with nuances that shimmer in the midday sun. They say that all good things must come to an end and the neutron bomb detonates with the concluding masterwork that is “Leben Ohne Feuer” (German for “Life Without Fire“). A soul stirring piece that burns like wire as it plays out, it has a couple of melancholic moments and a spoken word to add dramatic effect. Perhaps some might call this a little too arty for a Technical Death Metal record but we disagree simply because this is truly epic [8.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Dust Settles On Humanity
2. The Numinous One
3. Against The Sovereignty Of Mankind
4. Atto Quarto The Horror Paradox
5. Quasi-Sentient
6. Hair Dirt Mud
7. More Than Many Never One
8. Der Verlorene Sohn
9. Mysterium Tremendum
10. Leben Ohne Feuer

“Unextinct” by Hideous Divinity is out 22nd March 2024 via Century Media