When it comes to technical death metal, Poland has an impressive legacy, one of which Hyperial are more than aware, and more than keen to live up to. Formed in 2006, Hyperial have, to date, released one full-length album (2010’s ‘Sceptical vision’), one EP (2012’s ‘Industry’) and now they’re back with their grandest, most expansive work to date, the towering ‘blood and dust’, a ten track, forty minute ride through the murky world of blackened, industrial strength death metal. With hints of Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, Behemoth, and even Meshuggah spat out over the course of the record, one thing is certain, Hyperial are technical masters of their art and ‘Blood and dust’ should see them gain far greater recognition than they have to date.
Eschewing subtlety and grandiose introductions, the album slams a fist right into your face with a percussive barrage and mountainous wall of guitars on ‘the plague of the used masses’. A mechanistic assault that shocks and awes thanks to Bocian’s relentless drum work and the lock-step guitars of Grochu and Kula, the song is given extra depth and atmosphere thanks to Aneta’s expressive and restrained keyboard work. Cleverly the band never let the keys/samples detract from their overall power, as so many bands do, and the result is a track that is epic in scope, brutal in conception and utterly immersive. No fan of extreme metal could listen and not be hooked, and so it goes for the whole album. Opening with a creepy, horror movie-style sample, ‘in the abyss of madness’ slithers into Dimmu Borgir territory with its staccato riffs, twisted groove and atmospheric keys all building to a ferocious combination of blast beats and light-speed riffing. ‘Gehenna upon his feet’ utilises chunky, palm muted riffs and stupefying blast beats before mutating into an altogether more unpleasant beast, all chunky beats and chrome-plated electronic stabs making for a ferocious, futuristic assault that is one part fear factory, one part meshuggah and one part emperor. It is awe-inspiring, adrenalin-inducing metal delivered with absolute conviction and a technical proficiency that surpasses understanding. How many hours the band have spent rehearsing this unyielding metallic onslaught may never be known, but the result is as intense, as epic and as exciting as you could possibly want from a modern metal album. As apocalyptically inclined as its title, ‘civilization dies’ is a blast beat infused monstrosity imbued with a carnival-esque surrealism thanks to the echoing keys that abound, only for the song to become increasingly intense as it progresses with guitar work that can only be described as virtuoso.
Having fully turned the listener’s head, Hyperial by this point can do no wrong. ‘In the alley of silence’ briefly slows the pace with a short, introspective introduction giving way to the same brand of chugging death metal that has become Behemoth’s stock in trade on recent albums, Grochu’s primal bark towering over the laser-guided guitars and pummelling bass laid down by the band. ‘The picture of deformed bodies’ is a short, noxious blast of blackened death metal with a strong keyboard line adding a touch of melody to the otherwise unremittingly obsidian proceedings. An album highlight, the doomy ‘in the desert of dementia’ is a slower, darker piece of music that sees Grochu utilising an acid blasted vocal tone that recalls David Fisher whilst the band indulge in weaving an evil, atmospheric backdrop for him to daub his potent lyrics upon. In contrast ‘Human psychosis’ is a full-blown and scarifying blast of toxic blackened death metal delivered with the wild-eyed intensity of a serial killer. The album’s final original song is ‘till the end of his days’ with the final track being a cover of Tower’s ‘Luciferion’. The former track once again highlights the band’s masterful mix of atmospheric keyboards, industrial sounds and crushing death metal whilst the latter piece of music is the sound of the band cutting loose in the studio and simply enjoying playing a favourite track. It is a fitting conclusion to the album and, unsurprisingly, induces an urge check out Tower as soon as possible.
Hyperial have created a monster with ‘blood and dust’. Combining power and precision with atmospheric flourishes, the band craft memorable and meticulous death metal that will have any fan of extreme metal soiling themselves with excitement over the course of the album’s ten tracks. The production is ubiquitously excellent, capturing every nuance of the band’s ambitious sound and the relatively short length underscores the fact that the emphasis here is on quality over quantity. ‘Blood and dust’ may well prove to be the death metal album of the year, even with competition from behemoth themselves, and there is no doubt that if you love extreme metal then you need this record in your life. An awe-inspiring and brutal piece of work from start to finish, ‘blood and dust’ is a flawless example of the genre.
