Hyperborean Desire – …v kruhu Veškerenstva…

Hmmm, Hyperborean Desire… It’s quite a mouthful. What IS this? Well, Hyperborean Desire describe their music as Hyperborean Art and their quest is to re-ignite the hyperborean flame. Thus, they literally possess a Hyperborean desire. Ah! If, like me, you’re still wondering what the fuck is going on, check out the following piece I lifted straight from Wikipedia. It may offer more insight…

“Hyperborea is a legendary continent in the Arctic. Before it was overwhelmed by the advancing ice sheets of the Pleistocene age, Hyperborea was warm and fertile with lush jungles inhabited by the last remnants of the dinosaurs. A race of yeti-like bipeds known as the Voormi once populated Hyperborea, but were wiped out by the pre-human settlers that migrated here from the south. These pre-humans built the first capital of Hyperborea at Commoriom. Later they moved to Uzuldaroum when prophesies foretold of Commoriom’s doom.”

I’m not even sure if this is the same place these crazies refer to, so I’ll move swiftly along. On their debut full-length, Hyperborean Desire offer a melodic and eclectic take on Black Metal, packed with variety. This is a gamble as it increases the likelihood of parts that don’t appeal to the listener. The music on ‘…v kruhu Veškerenstva…’ is drowned in melody rather than reverb; crisp and well-produced with big leads and distinct pagan touches.

Imagine a mix of Finntroll, Negura Bunget, Opeth, Ulver, Old Man’s Child and that mad glue that you can use instead of nails … this should get you close to the general ballpark, but Hyperborean Art really are an entity onto themselves. The album boasts a spooky genesis that reminded me of the movie ‘Phantasm’ and thereafter it shapeshifts between fierce and plaintiff.

The bouncing Czechs deliver value for money: ‘proper’ [clean-ish] singing as well as fiercer vocals alternating between anguished rasps and guttural growls; drums that fluctuate from disciplined, steady pulse to pummelling chaos; and guitars that can be either airy and serene or buzzing and chopping. I’d prefer less melody myself and more aggression, but this is just a personal preference and I’m sure many will revel in this rich tapestry of styles. It’s a heady mix, all told, difficult to digest perhaps but easy to appreciate.