A symphonic metal band based out of Berkshire in the United Kingdom, Hades Descent brings a sound filled with energy. From tall, elaborate orchestral sections to sheer death metal grit, they package their very finest into their latest album, “The Monolith” — keep reading for my thoughts!
The opener to “The Monolith”, “Tomorrow is Dead!”, opens right where the energy is — give the album two seconds to warm up, and there it is — the brick wall of energy, sound, and aggression. The drumming, the guitars, and the strings in the background all come together to create one of the most epic intros to a death metal album; and when the vocals announce themselves, they are rendered with the dark fury that you would expect of a death metal album. The symphonies throughout the track lay down a solid melodic foundation, as we segue into the second track, “Through Savage Seas”.
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“Through Savage Seas” is a turn into more technical drumming, with heavy toms and fills that build the aggression on “The Monolith”, continuing from the theme of the opener. As the track settles into a Judas Priest-like thunder roll, the guitars slowly build the energy in the background, with the fast picking and the strings making the sound whole. There’s much to appreciate about the technicalities at play here — all for some genuine metal goodness.
“Forged In Darkness”, the third single from “The Monolith”, takes a bit of a turn into atmospheric death metal, with the eerie synths and pads giving the track a more fantastical, ethereal vibe. The melodic arrangement stands out for its sheer display of grandeur, while the drumming deserves props for its absolute clockwork precision on this track. There’s all one could ask for as a metalhead on this track — the rhythm, the power, the aggression — and as the track continues for its six-minute runtime, there’s only aging like fine wine; the energy ramps up and down with clinical precision, and the sections are very well laid out.
At this point, I deem it prudent to talk about the production on “The Monolith” — and to say that it left me in awe would be to understate it. There’s a very strong sense of emotion bleeding from the instrumental arrangements, and the guttural growls are the centerpiece of the album. The symphonic sections play excellent support, while the rhythm guitars impress with their precision and sheer virtuosity. The mixing is delightfully clear and tight for an album with these many elements — with each instrument having clear separation in space. The layers, one atop another, only make the sound of this album fuller and more sheerly fantastic. The levels are excellently balanced with great dynamic range and control, taking care to not muddy up any part of the range.
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Some other standouts from the album include “The Oncoming Storm”, “Veiled Ambitions”, and “Path Of The Seeker” — and as we bring “The Monolith” to a close with the title track, we’re treated to a feature from Bjorn Strid — a well-known name in these circles; and the sound comes together rather beautifully to bring this album full circle. All in all, what an experience! This album is certified metal epicness — and there’s no two ways about it.
Take a listen to this album here! \m/
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