ALBUM REVIEW: Anatomie Des Scheiterns – Hyems

Germany’s HYEMS are one of the of the many black metal acts to have established themselves within the underground scene since the turn of the millennium. While many bands have gone on to establish themselves on the worldwide extreme metal stage, HYEMS have been slowly grafting away within the underground, and producing plenty of great records that have given them a solid reputation and a cult following. Their latest album, Anatomie Des Scheiterns is perhaps HYEMS‘ most impressive work to date, and could very well see them ascend into the international extreme metal conscious.

Triumph des Scheiterns starts Anatomie Des Scheitern with a slow burning, military beat, very quickly giving way to a fierce, speed-driven piece of black metal with a melodic edge. Arid, shrill vocals carve through the mix like a rusty blade, providing an acerbic contrast to the focused and catchy approach of the music. Siechtum – Briefe vom Ende follows in much the same vein, but with a few more discordant moments on the guitar and some more varied, intricate drums, while Vom Bankrott einer Seele has a much vaster and more grandiose sound. The vocals, likewise, seem a lot livelier, ranging from tortured howls to acidic snarls, making for a more energetic and venom-soaked sound than the first two songs, with a much punchier sound.

In diesem Graben again makes use of a fuller guitar sound and more expansive drums to create a massive sound, with the majority of the music having a focused, ferocious quality to it. Filled with melancholic hooks, rabid vocals, a more prominent use of bass and a great, but all too brief, guitar solo, it’s an impressive track that shows HYEMS in a slightly more chaotic light than earlier efforts. Meanwhile, Zerwürfnis im Tal Josaphat manages to have a far darker sound, with bleak and more imaginative leads adding a more emotive side to this songs sound. HYEMS still maintain their razor sharp, fast and slick sound, which ultimately takes away much of the effect these leads have, although there’s still plenty of great moments on offer.

Morgendämmerung is by far the best track on Anatomie Des Scheitern. Here, HYEMS let the atmospheric elements that crept into the sound earlier come back, resulting in a hypnotic track with some doom-laden guitars. The intense metre of the drums also adds a great sense of urgency to the proceedings, something that works incredibly well here. In Ketten sees some of the better aspects of HYEMS‘ sound start to dominate the sound, with excellent vocal deliveries, punishing drums, a powerful, beguiling atmosphere and catchy guitar hooks making this a fairly lengthy number intriguing and memorable. An impressive end to Anatomie Des Scheitern.

Despite a shaky start, Anatomie Des Scheitern gets stronger as it progresses. There’s some incredibly solid black metal with an atmospheric edge at points, and it’s hard to fault the musicianship on offer here. Anatomie Des Scheitern could very well be the album that establishes HYEMS on a worldwide stage.

Rating: 7/10

Anatomie Des Scheiterns is out now via Black Sunset. 

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