HERMH

Polish black metallers Hermh originally formed back in 1993 in Bialystok and, after releasing a couple of albums on different labels, split in 1998 before recording a planned third album, 'Eden's Fire'. Reactivated in 2003 with a slightly revised lineup, 'Eden's Fire' finally saw the light of day in 2006 after an EP two years previously (the cunningly titled 'Before the Eden - Awaiting the Fire'). More personnel changes ensued in 2007, before Hermh recorded another EP, 2008's 'After the Fire - Ashes', the concluding piece of what was labelled as the 'Eden's Fire' trilogy. And so, onto 2009 whereby a deal with Polish label Mystic Production sees the release of their fourth full-length offering on Regain Records, 'Cold Blood Messiah'. Nonsensically billed on the press sheet as "vampiric black/death metal from Poland where anything can happen" what we actually have here are nine tracks of adeptly composed, performed and produced atmospheric, symphonic black metal. The Dimmu-esque opening bars of first track 'Hairesis' give way to sympho-blackened sounds reminiscent of Greece's Sceptic Flesh with its skilfully blended choir, although Hermh also succeed in forging an original sound of their own. And this is sustained throughout the album. Sure, it's rooted in the symphonic black metal aesthetic, although the songwriting contains enough inventive twists to elevate them way beyond the average band who claims affinity with said subgenre. Black metal was once considered a progressive form of metal in terms of extending generic musical boundaries, though seems to have stagnated of late through the large number of bands who settle for apathetic pastiche or, in certain cases, sheer plagiarism. Hermh, refreshingly, bring that progression back to black metal with 'Cold Blood Messiah', though in a subtly innovative and accessible way so as not to alienate the sympho-black purists. A solid, impressive release.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Regain Records

Album

COLD BLOOD MESSIAH

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

38:54

RELEASE DATE:

16th March 2009

TRACK LISTING

1) Hairesis
2) Instrumentum Diaboli
3) Eyes of the Blind Lamb
4) Lord Shall Be Revealed
5) I Bring You Fear
6) Sin is the Law
7) Gnosis
8) Who Can Be Against Us
9) In My Flesh I See God

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

Poland

"Hermh, refreshingly, bring...progression back to black metal with 'Cold Blood Messiah', though in a subtely innovative and accessible way so as not to alienate the sympho-black purists."