Premiere: Ceremony of Silence – Hálios
We love a good inculcation.
Blackened death metal fans rejoice: Slovakian masters Ceremony of Silence have returned, and their homecoming is most welcome. We were duly impressed with Oútis back in 2019, which earned itself a high position on Lacertilian’s top 10 for that year, and I’ll be damned if Hálios isn’t gunning for a top slot on my own this year. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait any longer to hear why, as we’re bringing the album to you now in full.
Ceremony of Silence may be cut from the same cloth as Ulcerate, but their riff-driven approach to the style lands them more in line with acts like Setentia or Suffering Hour in my ears. Their music evokes a similar mystical atmosphere through its massive caustic chords and chiming, stinging punctuation of phrases coupled with tumultuous percussion, and they keep it anchored to the material world with more easily followed melodies and, well, actual riffs. There is a consistent musical through line that even the most staunchly anti-disso cowards listeners will find palatable.
That through line is what truly elevates this album. The instrumental duo of Viliam Pilarčík and Matúš Ďurčík is one of the tightest out there in both performance and composition, and their flow on this album is damn near flawless. Oútis was already good about moving from one idea to another without lingering too long, but the way Hálios takes this writing philosophy is on another level entirely. They build and compound on their ideas within the course of a couple phrases, and the transitions from one part to the next are smooth and natural in a way that defies my ability to describe. This really is one of those albums that you need to hear to believe, and you’ll see why within minutes of tapping in. The band has a warm welcome for those who listen:
It’s a great feeling to finally unveil something you’ve been working on for so long. Thank you to everyone who has supported us on this journey, especially Jason from Willowtip Records for putting his trust in us. We hope this album resonates with you as deeply as it does with us. Dive in, let the sound consume you, and experience ‘Hálios’ best with one of the physical formats that are accompanied by stunning woodcut artworks made by our drummer, Matúš S. Ďurčík.
Hálios is out Friday, July 19th, via Willowtip. You can also join the band for a listening party tomorrow (July 17th) at this link.
Bandcamp | Webstore
