Ceremony of Silence – Hálios
Release Date: 19th July 2024
Label: Willowtip Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Death Metal, Black Metal, Atmospheric Death Metal, Progressive Death Metal.
FFO: Gorguts, Deathspell Omega, Ulcerate, Portal, Wormed, Blut aus Nord.
Review By: Rick Farley
Slovakia’s, Ceremony of Silence are not easily defined. On one hand you clearly have punishing blackened death metal fuelled by blast beats and low gutturals, and on the other you have a potent mixture of discordant elements from various genres intermixed in a shell of skittery, anxious extremes. A collision of primal textures weaving together to form an avalanche of frenzied mayhem. A sturdy foundation of chaos that was built with the bands debut album Oútis released in 2019. Ceremony of Silence looks to repeat this staggering level of fast burning intensity on Hálios set to release July 19th, 2024, via Willowtip Records.
Ceremony of Silence, formed in 2015, started its life as a two man blackened death metal project. Balancing the fine line between unique dynamic melody and dissonant murkiness. Unorthodox fluidity through chaos is the most feasible way to explain this type of extreme metal. Ugly, harsh, atmospheric, and esoteric. Ceremony of Silence is not very accessible to the average death or black metal fan, however with an increased exposure, its auditory intent begins to seep in and start making more sense. Surely not for those of you that need constant death metal grooves or fast black metal tremolo picking, this is not that. It is extremely heavy, aggressive, and full of unnerving nastiness. However, this is more likely to entrance you into thinking you’re safe before it meticulously tears out your innards, rather than just straight beat you immediately. Do not get me wrong there are moments of Immolation style riffs with groovy structure that is chunky and hits hard, it’s just treated more as accents to the horrific otherworldly atmosphere. Little bits of black metal rear their evil menace in burst of searing guitar intensity, while doomy airiness lingers on in passages of lucidity, carefully placed in key moments where respite is needed.
Hálios is a darkened, nightmarish beast, taking influence from the likes of Ulcerate and Portal, but adding their own nonlinear, intense way of presenting it. Thick layers of guitars slither and coil through complex structures full of assaulting drums, bashing, and disorienting. A hulking, slithering wall of low end keeps everything within the context of its parameters that are already set without going completely off the rails, even though at times it’s relentlessly discordant. It is abrasive and rattling, but equally intriguing once you have accepted its aesthetic premise. The dense atmosphere is often suffocating, adding an uneasiness while you’re being mesmerized by its cosmic undertones.
It is noticeably clear that Hálios needs time to sink in, you will not hear everything this record has to offer on the first, second or even third listen, but I assure you the payoff is worth it, especially with a pair of good headphones. It is worth noting that the vocals do sit a little low in the mix, this seems to be intentional as a way to feature the layers, so do not be surprised if the vocals hit a little different on other audio sources. With that said, Ceremony of Silence has a penchant for dynamic technicality, with the ability to provoke stifling paranoia through its disgusting soundscape. The slow unravelling of this brutal record is a journey well worth taking.
Standout tracks: Moon Vessel, Light Runs Through Light and Perennial Incantation.
(4 / 5)
