Hour Of Penance - Regicide

Hour Of Penance

Regicide

by Erika Kuenstler at 06 May 2014, 10:52 AM

Italy seems more and more the dream destination for Death Metal enthusiasts, with HOUR OF PENANCE’s new album “Regicide” being an even bigger incentive. “Regicide” is the sixth full-length album unleashed by these Italian masters, and with this cataclysmic album we see what will most likely be one of the most venomous and jaw-shattering Extreme Death Metal releases of 2014.

Everything about this album is full throttle: the music is more vicious, each musician has plumbed the very depths of his not insignificant skill, and everything has been pushed to its furthest limit. Hell, even the song titles are all in caps! Starting off with the intro “Through the Triumphal Arch” the listener is prepared for the very drum-driven first song “Reforging the Crowns”. Shooting by in a hurricane of malicious vocals and flurries of blast beats, the first half of the album progresses with almost enough speed to break the sound barrier. With brutal guitar riffs being supported by even more ferocious drum-work, “Regicide” is a sheer auditory onslaught. Perhaps a little less diverse than their previous album “Sedition”, “Regicide” nevertheless does a phenomenal job of pushing the boundaries of speed and brutality, whilst still managing to be as melodious as possible, given their level of aggression. In my personal opinion, it is the tracks on the latter half of the album than really shine through. It is only towards the middle of the album that the tempo gets taken down a notch in tracks like “Resurgence of the Empire” and “Sealed into Ecstasy”, giving the listener a welcome little reprieve to catch their breath and stem the fountains of blood gushing from their shattered ear-drums. Not that these songs are any less ferocious; rather the force behind these tracks is driven home by the malevolent atmospheres rather than by an auditory avalanche of speed and technicality. Perhaps my favourite on the album is “The Sun Worship” with its darker undercurrents. Containing enough blast beats to launch a rocket into outer space, this track is relentless in its blitzkrieg of your senses.

Overall, this is an album of crushing brutality, and with it, HOUR OF PENANCE have once again proven themselves to be one of the best bands in their genre. “Regicide” is a punishing ride that will have you on the edge of your seat the whole way. If you enjoyed “Sedition”, you definitely need to check this one out!