Hinsides are very much sworn to the Old Skool of Misanthropic Norwegian Black Metal. This somewhat ungainly titled second full length in two years has a sound that admits that nothing worthy of assimilation has happened in the last ten or fifteen years: Traditionalists if you will. This is the black metal sound of that ice cold riff cascade, of fast to mid-paced guitars, of echoing, snarled vocals and a few keyboards sounds to draw in the quieter moments. You knew it of course.
Unusually starting out not with an intro but with a full blown six minute sombre soundscape named 'Dark Matter Dawn' the band make my ears perk up immediately as this certainly was not the 'minute of malevolence' you get as standard. A nice, unexpected way to lead you into their domain and totally isolate you. Once there, the next song '666 to Nero', whilst an abrupt shift to the bitter cold buzzsaw attack, is icy and dark enough to promise a good winter night ride into the occult.
And it is good, precise stuff: think a touch of faster early Darkthrone or maybe Carpathian Forest. Early Immortal even sprinkled with a bit of Emperor. I suppose the expected influences, you might say, but why not? Lyric wise there are enough mentions of 'Universe' throughout the album to give Borknagar a run for their money but there is a far colder delivery that demands respect and it really hits that dark attack flawlessly.
Now I tend to over analyse my reaction to music at time (no shit says the cyber void ) but as the album goes on I begin to question it. This is well written and well played stuff; no second raters here. I totally get what musical and emotional needs it speaks to wanting to play this way, this orthodox style. But as a listener why would I choose their altar over the Old Gods? I begin to feel that this style is so much about the bands commitment that the listener almost becomes irrelevant.
I then realise of course that I'm a fuckwit and you could turn it right around and say this is as pure an expression of music as you can get: we play like this because it is our art not our job.
Penny drops.
'Within Infinite Mysteries' starts as slower, doomier number that slips into more esoteric realms than the sharper previous 'Black Witchery Ritual', before once more plunging into the nightwinds and the rolling dark melody that hisses through the winter riffs. 'Dodenatt' brings a little more thunder in the drumming and 'The Passage', an excellent commanding song echoing some of the storms of 'Anthems..' period Emperor, rolls its relentless line through me next.
No, there are no surprises but that shouldn't be taken as a negative always. Sometimes simply playing true to your roots and your influences is enough to create a sparkle all its own.
Then something like 'Universe Aspire' comes in on a slow unsettling intro, an almost Immortal-esque riff bringing the rest of the song in and then heads on deeper into a dark and undulating, headlong journey, all night time and winter and nicely evocative. A really, really good number.
Ending on the slow building snowstorm of 'Moonlights Path To Darkness' and another melancholy melody carved from ice by the buzzsaw guitar fading through a closing blanket of organ and keyboard they leave me to the snowy night.
Hinsides maybe old school but this is finely executed old school and it is good old school. The only real criticism I can level is that at times before 'The Passage' is reached that the tempo can feel perhaps a touch unvaried but frankly its a weak criticism if you get that far. It isn't the greatest black metal album ever but far more importantly it never gets dull.
lnitial Wariness overcome by atmosphere and quality.
Thank you Hinsides; You have reminded an old person of a vital lesson. No one is in this for money. Fuck fashion and follow your passion.
http://www.hinsides.biz
http://www.myspace.com/hinsides
