ALBUM REVIEW: Unextinct – Hideous Divinity
Mastering the art of technical brutality, Italian powerhouses HIDEOUS DIVINITY have returned to continue their wrath with latest album Unextinct. Formed by members of ABORTED and with 15 years under their belt, the band’s consistent streak of lightspeed pacing and ferocity is unparalleled. Yet, every release throughout their ample discography carries its own brand of uniqueness, conveying the band’s evolution and preventing new material from getting forgotten.
Expectedly, Unextinct measures up to its predecessors, delivering the same renowned breakneck speed and purposeful heaviness that never feels incongruous or for the sake of it. Di Lorenzo’s sinister gutturals are set perfectly against the relentless backdrop of barraging drums and Enrico Schettino’s entrancing technical rhythms opening up to SUFFOCATION-esque breakdowns that rattle through to your bones. Further fuelling the terror, Unextinct continues the chilling horror voyage that weaved through their last two full-length albums and EP, LV-426, and cemented them into the conceptual tech-death space.
Floating between varying track durations and structures leaves Unextinct feeling more like a soundtrack rather than your standard album. Instrumental opener Dust Settles On Humanity breathes ominous life into the album, building anticipation as it grows in intensity before effortlessly drifting into The Numinous One, a giant suffocating seven-minute monster. Alike the other lengthy tracks on this record, The Numinous One is more akin to a journey, shifting through layers of complexity, oppressive heaviness and Edoardo Di Santo’s incessantly punishing drum work. Similarly, Atto Quartro: The Horror Paradox demonstrates the sheer extremity of this band as they hammer through colossal riffs and abrupt pace changes, keeping you captivated during its over eight-minute duration. Although much shorter in length, Quasi-Sentient remains persistently uncompromising, standing up amongst the giants on the album even without pounding through at what feels like a million beats per minute.
Despite following the themes of earlier material, Unextinct abandons the wholly apocalyptic ambience. Instead, HIDEOUS DIVINITY have lent into the blackened death metal domain, enhancing the atmospheric and cinematic feel. The record’s closer, Leben Ohne Feuer, and More Than Many, Never One are inherently moody, incorporating melancholic black metal elements without departing from merciless thrashing. The concluding track along with earlier cut, Hair, Dirt, Mud, features a tranquil start before exploding into vigorous aggression, a contrast that works exceptionally well throughout Unextinct.
Nodding towards the conceptual foundations of the record, Der Verlorene Sohn, is something of an anomaly. Brimming a bone-chilling atmosphere and fully departing from any heaviness, this quick interlude transfigures you into the protagonist of a horror movie as they encroach deeper into inconceivable torments. That, and it offers a welcomed moment of solace from the remorseless lashings. Further pushing their boundaries and stepping away from the doom, Mysterium Tremendum showcases a more melodic approach, driving rhythm to its limits and allowing Stefano Franceschini’s groove-packed bass work to take centre stage.
In a nutshell, Unextinct is a solid record that abides by HIDEOUS DIVINITY’s multifaceted sound and cinematic nature. However, it is easy to get absorbed by the unmitigated velocity and density that you neglect the intricacies that elevate the album. Their ability to create longer tracks without becoming laborious and seamlessly intertwining complex sections that refrain from feeling pretentious is testament to the band’s profound songwriting expertise and musicianship. Nevertheless, while the album is far from unimaginative or unimpressive, it does little to branch off into fresh territory for the genre. Just existing parallel to the multitude of bands in the tech-death sphere isn’t enough to stand out, but HIDEOUS DIVINITY are heading in the direction towards magnificence.
Rating: 8/10
Unextinct is set for release on March 22nd via Century Media Records.
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