UPRISING OF THE FALLEN - GRIMGENT.COM
Hetroertzen has made quite a career up until this point, for the past seven years they have succeeded in working themselves into the collection of every dedicated black metal fan. The band was founded 20 years ago in Chile, back then it didn’t stir up much impression and immediately vanished into obscurity. In 2009 they relocated to Sweden, which was a very good decision for them, they are also pretty similar to the contemporary Scandinavian scene. This even to the extent that almost no one is aware of their South-American roots, which is not of great importance to appreciate their music but it does demonstrate to what extent they acquired the typical style of the north.
The concept of Uprising of the Fallen is nothing new per se. The whole album is dedicated to the worship of the old testamentical serpent and the invoking the Luciferian forces in the mundane. Ever since the release of The Exaltation of Wisdom they have made it very clear that this would become their trademark. This was also the album that put them on the frontline of contemporary occult black metal and this is where they still roam. Seven years later they still haven’t deviated from the left hand path.
The backbone of Hetroertzen music is still formed by fierce drums that overwhelm the listener as a very ominous wall of sound. This is only interrupted in some interludes in which there is more room for some more typical metal riffs and even sometimes some rock and roll passages. The listener doesn’t get the time to rest or to take a breath, the fury is throughout the entire album. Even when the music is taking it slower the exalted vocals of Frater D. are there to throw you tumbling down in the pitch black abyss. This is why you get the impression that this album is nothing more than a black mass of which you are an unknowing witness. The artwork is very typical for Hetroertzen; it is very simple but yet it completely captures the spirit of the album: the left hand path, Luciferian epiphany, mysticism and the inversion of light and darkness.
Even though Uprising of the Fallen is not as aggressive and fierce as its predecessors, it still breathes pure evil and mysticism. This is a release for everyone who is into the occult, mystic and hermetic branch of black metal that takes pride in their philosophical constructs. If you are looking for some random devil worshiping church burners you better move along, this is only for those who like to be mentally challenged by intelligent writing and composing. For fans of Acherontas, Nightbringer, Cult of Fire and Lux Caelis!
9 / 10 by Jeroen.
UPRISING OF THE FALLEN - AVE NOCTUM.COM
Fifteen years in and the Swedish-via-Chile outfit Hetroertzen show no signs of reigning back on their committed, transcendental approach to blasphemic black metal. ‘Uprising of the Fallen’, their sixth full-length (and first for Listenable) continues in the tradition of previous works, unveiling grandiose compositions and an unrelenting ambience of sinister, hissing malice lurking just beneath the surface of the cosmos.
It is perhaps a little less impenetrable than its predecessor – 2014’s much-acclaimed ‘Ain Soph Aur’ – with that record’s numerous interludes and ambient dalliances being eschewed this time around. However, a palpable sense of philosophical darkness nevertheless still plays out across much of the record, exemplified by the winding, beguiling guitar works on tracks such as ‘Path Bearer’ and ‘Upon the Thresholds’.
There are also moments when band step back from the abyss with moments of pure metal intensity which offer an intriguing counterpoint to the otherwise jagged potency of the riffing. The fist-raising chug that crashes in at around the four minute mark in ‘Zealous Procreation’ as an example is a wonderful diversion – an about face from the spidery lines that precede it yet as a moment of consolidated metal purity, perfectly in keeping with the record’s atmosphere. A similarly atavistic assault also emerges in ‘The Trial’ and it’s these sections that keep the album anchored firmly in a more traditional, weighty soundscape than previous releases.
Performance-wise, the standout observation here is for the as-ever intricately textured percussion of mainman Frater D and the impassioned bark of the vocals. This time out, the sticksman has taken a step back from the microphone and allowed guitarist Anubis to take to the fore, providing a commanding, martial bellow not dissimilar to that deployed by Dysangelium’s Sektarist 0.
The vocals of Anubis lend a desperate, forceful impetus to the lengthy songs here – indeed, as some of the material can be felt to lose focus, it is the power of the voice that brings them back into line, providing gravity and definition. So, whilst the main refrain of ‘The Fallen Star’ is surprisingly weak, the dramatic performance of the vocals helps salvage the track just when it feels like the wheels are starting to wobble.
Ultimately, ‘Uprising of the Fallen’ is at once a bold and conservative record – whilst still being cloaked in an aura of spectral blasphemy, it is a more direct and pointed listen than the previous record. Whether it truly does enough to elevate it to the summit of a rather crowded end of the scene at this juncture remains to be seen – and it is true that there are a handful of patchy moments scattered about this dense opus – but it is by and large the work of men who truly know their craft.
8 / 10 by Frank Allain.
UPRISING OF THE FALLEN - BRUTALVIEW.GR
The blackmetallers Hetroertzen from Chile completely transferred their base in Sweden and from there our launch their new remarkable job. The band became known with the very good full length Ain Soph Aur in 2014, despite the internal changes with Frater D to give voice to the guitarist Anubis having fixed themselves more on drums, continues with the Uprising of the Fallen from where they had stopped .
Specifically, the band impresses with its ritual character and hypnotic atmosphere that creates the mafrometalika riffs with rail Shelf. The vocals are warm and priestly adding even more to the atmosphere. Already from the first air introduction Uprising slowly gives way to a solitary hypnotic guitar and after entering and rituals vocals. The whole album follows the same pattern ...
synepairnontas the listener to each note, showing very pretty ritual side of mafrometalikis music. One work that elevates this very misunderstood aspect of our music without being in any way picturesque. Among the best releases of 2017 so far. Invest safely.
9 / 10 by Frost Panos
UPRISING OF THE FALLEN - NAWAKPOSSE.COM
HETROERTZEN throws us in the face a black metal with post-black sounds and playing powerful and very hateful titles. Very well produced, this album cut with the cord is perfectly mastered with intoxicating compositions such as "The fallen star", which is for me the highlight of the record.
The combo plays quickly and the composes remind us of BEHEMOTH , IMMORTAL ("Perception of the unseen") or IMPALED NAZARENE ("Path bearer"). The titles are well constructed and so one easily returns to the tormented universe of the gang, besides, We will salute the work of the drummer who excels really throughout the disc, giving us a nice glimpse of his talent.
To conclude in one word: diabolical!
By Will
UPRISING OF THE FALLEN - PLAGUE HAUS
It’s been two years since Hetroertzen released their last full length album, Ain Soph Aur. What an incredible album it was. I exalted it as one of the best records I’d heard over the past few years, and to this very moment it’s still in regular rotation right alongside 2010’s Exaltation of Wisdom. Now, another offering fills the grail. Uprising of the Fallen presents 8 new tracks at just under an hour of new music from the band. As usual, Lamech’s own sound studio served as the ritual space for the album. After which, it was then passed on to the legendary Kark of Norway’s Dodsengel to be mastered with the intention of a CD and LP release via Listenable Records in early 2017.
Uprising of the Fallen ushers in a few changes for the band. Vocalist Frater D. has relocated to drums and Anubis continues to handle guitars while taking on the additional task of handling vocals as well (though Frater D. still lends his oratory talents at times). From what I’ve noticed this is also reflected in the live lineup too. A lot of people I’ve talked to felt that Frater D.’s presence was what initially drew them in. This is true for many, I think. I can say with authority that the overall atmosphere and presence that the band has remains unrivaled and that the aforementioned adjustments have compromised nothing. The group’s fluidity is only further highlighted by the recent restructuring. The band’s Bass player, Ham now boasts a much stronger presence within the Hetroertzen egregore. When I’d seen them on their first USA incursion he was still a relatively new member, so it’s good to see that he’s solidified himself within the lineup on this album. The lyrical composition is great as well. Between the 8 songs, Anubis has written the lyrics for half, and Frater D. the other half. I assume that most of our readers care about these things, in which case I cannot stress enough how important these lyrics are to the totality of the album. It would serve you well to read them again and again for the full experience as soon as you have the opportunity. As per usual, the content covers various occult and philosophical topics with a degree of humility and reverence that has always been rare within the genre. The heavy Enochian themes continue to maintain a presence within the band’s work just as much as they did on the previous two albums. I will not press this issue further as I’d rather let people experience the album and interpret it their own way as it allows for multiple ways in.
The first song is the closest the album has to a title track. “Uprising” starts with a trance-like tremelo riff that builds a similar mood to what Ain Soph Aur did on songs like “The Rose and the Cross.” The guitars are backed by a slowly chiming bell that serves to open the work and pave the way for Anubis’ orations. Upon reaching the second song, I began to feel like this album was focusing a bit more on using a similar musical style to Exaltation of Wisdom. “Zealous Procreation” holds a firm black metal tone, opting less for experimentation and more for methods that have been met with success before. I particularly liked the drumming on this one. There’s also a riff towards the end that has the same heaviness and punch that was heard towards the end of “The White Priestcraft” on Exaltation. The third song, “The Fallen Star,” is a mid-paced journey exploring themes of alienation and the desire for ascension. This is definitely one of my favorites. But at this point there’s no track that I think anyone should be skipping over. “Path Bearer” is the halfway point on the album. It’s definitely one of the songs that stood out the most to me. Those familiar with the song, “Ardetha,” which was released on the band’s split with Dodsengel will find a few musical comparisons. The slow pacing creates a haunting and impenetrable sound that makes it one of my favorite songs the band has recorded thus far.
“The Trial” resumes a faster pace, serving as the precursor to the remainder of the record. The end of the song has another heavier sounding bit reminiscent of the earlier song, “Zealous Procreation.” It’s actually another one that leaves me torn and unable to choose which track I like best. “Upon the Thresholds” is the sixth number on the album. The dueling vocalization of Anubis and Frater D. seemed a bit more pronounced here to me. Perhaps it’s more noticeable the longer you listen. Either way, this is definitely a welcome addition to the dynamics of Hetroertzen. “Perception of the Unseen” follows. The ambient sections are handled a bit differently this time. Instead of having them as separate tracks, the band has integrated them into the songs themselves. This is an interesting choice no doubt; especially given Ain Soph Aur’s approach. Listeners may remember ambience on that album accounting for nearly half of the album, including a fantastic piece by Edgar Kerval.
The closing musical apparition, “Lost and Betrayed” is another great one. It opens with more dueling vocalization as well as one of my favorite riffs on the album. Frater D.’s vocals are strongest on this track to me. I thought it might take me a bit to get used to the change. At one point I can even admit to being a bit nervous; not because I don’t like Anubis’ vocals, but because I had always associated him as the primary force behind Sapientia more than Hetroertzen. It’s neat to see that composition is evenly divided amongst the band’s membership.
Having discussed each track in brief fashion, there’s a certain bit that each song has that makes it stand apart from all of the rest to me. This is what distinguishes a “good” album from an “incredible album.” But this hypothesis only addresses the sound of an album. All parts are required to make a successful Black Metal record. The tightly woven artwork that illustrates the album’s concept, the music itself (obviously) that allows the listener to hear the concept, and the physical aspect of actually holding the liner notes and looking through the lyrics all serve to stimulate the senses of the listener and help them to better understand the motivation of the artist. This chain is easily and often broken. No matter how great an album sounds to me, if it doesn’t really stand for something I have little to no desire to revisit it. This is the standard for the Black Metal art form. It is a collective. It’s not just the music, not just the artwork, not just the lyrics, not just the live presence. It is all of these things. And this is the answer I give when people continuously inquire as to my unwavering love and support for this band. I will step off of my soap box and allow the listeners to soon formulate their own opinion.
Behold! The challenger rising!
review by anti-matter.