Hessian Firm -

Blind Guardian – Imaginations from the Other Side (1995)

Six excellent albums in a row entirely contained within a decade is a virtually unimiginable feat yet Blind Guardian have done it without ever relying on the same tools for…

By Nicholas Mkhl December 10, 2023Review

Review

Neuropath – At Damnation’s Core (2023)

Neuropath are another unfortunate example of a highly talented band that never managed to stick around long enough for a full length. The band managed to release two demos within…

By Nicholas Mkhl December 8, 2023Review

Review

Cultus Sanguine – Dust Once Alive (2023)

In the history of metal no band has ever managed to successfully return after a two and a half decade hiatus as these returns are generally characterized by a thinly…

By Nicholas Mkhl December 3, 2023Review

Interview Podcast

Hessian Scrum Special: Snorre Ruch (Thorns, ex-Mayhem)

https://youtu.be/Zz62dLR-a5w And now for something truly special: Raphael sits down to talk with Snorre Ruch, one of the pioneers of Norwegian Black Metal (and, consequently, of the modern black metal…

By hessianfirm November 20, 2023Interview, Podcast

Review

Blood Oath – Lost in an Eternal Silence (2023)

Blood Oath present their first full-length album after a preparatory period that encompassed a demo and an EP. Like their previous output, "Lost in an Eternal Silence" is an exercise…

By Raphael Alecto November 1, 2023Review

Review

Sepulcrum – Lamentation of Immolated Souls (2023)

"Lamentation of Immolated Souls" is the first full-length album of Chilean band Sepulcrum; the overall impression left by this accomplished debut work is one of a surprisingly controlled posture; each…

By Raphael Alecto October 29, 2023Review

Review

Scott Walker – Bish Bosch (2012)

Scott Walker’s final solo studio album “Bish Bosch” sees him integrate the experiments of outings such as “Tilt” and “The Drift” in a more mature and deliberately constructed effort; in…

By Raphael Alecto October 13, 2023Review

Review

Rainer Landfermann – “Mehr Licht” (2023)

In anticipation of a new full-length album, Rainer Landfermann has unleashed this two-track release consisting of the title track and another named “Originalstimme”. Backed by an elegant mass of synths…

By Raphael Alecto October 11, 2023Review

Analysis

Lyric Analysis: “Heaven Bellow” by Septicflesh

“Ophidian Wheel” saw Greek band Septicflesh deliver one of the strongholds of death metal with a more melodic affectation; we will be turning our attention to the lyrics of "Heaven…

By Raphael Alecto October 10, 2023Analysis

Review

Primordial – How It Ends (2023)

Irish outfit Primordial can be counted among those bands who have settled on a unique formula of their own devising that has proven successful over a considerable row of releases.…

By Raphael Alecto September 30, 2023Review