ALBUM REVIEW: Simulacrum – Hideous Divinity

The third and final member of the triumvirate leading the charge of Italian brutality, Rome’s HIDEOUS DIVINITY are back once more with their fourth LP and Century Media Records debut Simulacrum. Following on from their incredible third record, 2017’s Adveniens, Simulacrum continues the trend of film-based concept records from the Romans, this time tackling David Lynch‘s cult classic Lost Highway. But with 2019 already stacking up to be an incredible year for extreme metal and, indeed, Century Media Records specifically, can HIDEOUS DIVINITY make their presence felt as “best of year” lists start to come flying in?

HIDEOUS DIVINITY waste no time in throwing down the gauntlet, forgoing a tension-building intro in favour of a straight-for-the-jugular bludgeoning with Deleuzean Centuries. The trope of an atmosphere building, symphony or synth heavy intro may be absent, but make no mistake: Deleuzean Centuries does a wonderful job of setting the tone straight from the offset for Simulacrum. The classic HIDEOUS DIVINITY brutality is all there, but there is something more; an oppressive, unsettled feeling permeates through the aggression, drawling influence from INCANTATION-esque dissonance.

Video single and album highlight The Embalmer keeps the quality at a high, standing as, arguably, one of the finest songs in HIDEOUS DIVINITY‘s back-catalogue. Unrestrained, tech-death aggression blends with a continuation of the disturbed dissonance from Deleuzean Centuries and a blackened undercurrent. It works incredibly well, plunging the listener into pure sonic darkness. Interludial Condense feels surplus to requirements, serving only as a 28-second delay before Anamorphia Atto III doubles down on the maelstrom of unsettled brutality and single track The Deadened Room bring Simulacrum to it’s second half in furious fashion.

As Simulacrum progresses into Side B, Actaeon keeps the dissonance rolling amid blistering lead guitar work while Bent Until Fracture is a more traditional brutal death metal affair. Seed of Future Horror is the stand out moment from Simulcarum‘s second half, bringing a dose of memorability that has been somewhat lacking thus far in the chaos. However, the one-two of penultimate track Prey to a Vision and album closer Implemini Exitio is nothing to sniff at either. Prey to a Vision sees the memorability of Seed of Future Horror continue – Enrico Di Lorenzo delivers some of his stand out vocals here, lines dripping with pure malice – while Implemini Exitio is another highlight moment from the record, bringing big hooks and grooves into play amid the blackened, brutal assault.

Simulacrum is, undoubtedly, every bit as good as its predecessor. Whether it surpasses Adveniens or not is a different matter, however HIDEOUS DIVINITY can rest easy knowing they have, at the very least, maintained their quality. In spite of a lack of real earworm hooks, HIDEOUS DIVINITY display a grander focus on songwriting and stronger black metal elements making Simulacrum the product of a maturing band that sees brutality as more than 40 minutes of relentless musical bludgeoning. A promising addition to the discography of one of southern Europe’s highlight acts.

Rating: 8/10

Simulacrum is out now via Century Media Records.

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