As I’ve said since this webzine’s inception, the three biggest red flags in an OSDM band is when the main influence is either Bolt Thrower, Entombed, or Mortician. That said, for how heavily I’ve been spinning Bear Mace’s Slaves of the Wolf, I feel as if I’m slowly coming around to Bolt Thrower-core. Now that doesn’t mean I’m going to welcome every half-assed hardcore band shamelessly hopping aboard the War Master bandwagon with open arms, so don’t bother sending me your promo kit. However, an album like Scapulimancy, the debut full length from Hedonist, ALMOST has me believing that one day I might.
Formed in 2020 by members of blackened crust vets Iskra, Hedonist is an unadulterated throwback to death metal’s glory days of the early ’90s. The most blatant comparison can be made to Bolt Thrower, thanks to the midtempo delivery and crushing riffage that dominates this release, but there’s far more to the Hedonist sound. One can also hear shades of fellow midpaced English death metal maniacs, Benediction, as well as the Swedish scene at its most unhinged (i.e. Nihilist, Carnage) during Scapulimancy‘s most frantic moments, and believe me, there’s no shortage of those.
When listening to Scapulimancy, one senses that Hedonist’s M.O. is to make death metal that’s tuneful and hook-laden, yet without sacrificing its power and deadliness. If so, mission accomplished. Cuts like “Execution Wheel”, “Engines of War”, and “Cremator” nail the Bolt Thrower sound with frightening authenticity, even down to the ruthlessly old school production (Benediction, take note!). Pair together this old school sound with well written songs and merciless performances, and you’ve got some truly lethal character on display…character that shines even brighter when Hedonist step outside of the Bolt Thrower framework.
The breakneck “Heresy” practically comes off like an early ’90s death metal act attempting an old school rager in the vein of Possessed’s “The Exorcist”, while the closing “Hidden Corpse” sees the band employing elements of doom and groove into their already crippling sound. The honor of choice cut, or rather choice cuts plural, goes to the one-two punch of “Parasitic Realm” and the title track. Both songs see Hedonist blur melody, technicality, and atmosphere to create a truly nightmarish brand of death, akin to cult godz Nuclear Death. What really sells these songs are the planet-splitting vocals of frontwoman AJ, whose blend of demonic growls and ear-piercing shrieks take the album to another level.
Although the style of death metal Hedonist specialize in can be described as predictable and even cliché at this point in time, the songs themselves are anything but, rife with fresh interpretations of classic tropes. Not only this, but again, Scapulimancy boasts enough sonic variety that even a self-admitted death metal cynic myself will return for a second, third, and fourth listen. If album #2 explores the “Parasitic Realm” and “Scapulimancy” er realm further, Hedonist could very well go down alongside acts like Molder and Ascended Dead as one of the death metal titans of the ’20s. And even if they don’t, they most definitely have the Bolt Thrower-core corner cornered (say that three times fast).
7 out of 10
Label: Southern Lord Records
Genre: Death Metal
For fans of: Bolt Thrower, Benediction, Entombed