2024 has seen a bunch of fantastic Black Metal releases and Ghast Misanthropia’s latest conjuration from earlier this year is no exception. Hexxus, the sole member, has been on an absolutely killer streak of releases across muiltiple projects including Inbrydling and the skull cruhsing Unhoflich. ‘Spectral Abomination’ is only the project’s second full-length, but it’s a powerful follow up to a savage split release with Geheimnisvoll.
Sonically, Hexxus has taken diligient notes from legends like Moonblood and Judas Iscariot to create a furious, misanthropic sound that sits confidently between the two. The album even wraps up with a great cover of ‘My Evil Soul’. This record is non-stop of riffs, transitioning flawlessly between ferocious tremolos and blast beats into melodic punkish parts, all backed by a simple ‘Filosofem’-esque synth that helps bring the tone into the Epic Black Metal realm.
Vocals are perfectly cavernous and spread across the mix which really lets them cut through without stealing the spotlight. I’m a huge sucker for a good drum mix, it can sometimes be a make or break for me. But ‘Spectral Abomination’ has a really great balance for the entire kit, nothing is lost in any way. The production is raw but not noisey, making everything easy to digest without losing any character or intensity.
I’ve had this CD on a regular rotation and cannot recommend it enough. Ghast Misanthropia is a torch bearer of a classic Azaxul/Moonblood type of sound and ‘Spectral Abomination’ does this extremely well.
