Hyrgal - Serpentine

HYRGAL - Serpentine (Les Acteurs De L’Ombre Productions CD 2018)

Hyrgal are French black metal project, which was started back in 2007, yet managed to release only split CD with Kairn in 2008 before taking a long break. Finally in 2016 Hyrgal was brought back to life and the result is their debut album "Serpentine" released by Les Acteurs De L’Ombre Productions (but previously it was released also in another CD version by Naturmacht Productions and cassette by Solar Asceticists Productions). Well, most of the LADLO releases is spectacular and "Serpentine" also leaves a very good impression. No surprise. 

Basically, I was into Hyrgal's music right from the very first seconds, when that eerie intro "L'Appel" finished and a song called "Mouroir" began. It definitely is my favourite part of the album, a very intense and aggressive, fast and vicious black metal song, which at the same time has a splendid dose of melody in the riffage and an interesting shift in the middle of the song, when the black metal cacophony is interrupted by an ambient, very dark and ghastly fragment. Great stuff. And boy, I am so glad that "Till" continues to bring us that utterly fast and neckbreaking black metal style, especially when it's not something alike to Marduk or other such hyper fast bands. Because the music of Hyrgal, despite being so aggressive and fast, has this melancholic and atmospheric feel, which is very interesting. And besides, this album never stubbornly sticks to just one rhythm or type of playing, which is why every song has something different and the whole album is quite diverse including the expected post black metal influence here and there). There's a lot of good songwriting, in my opinion, enough shredding riffs and good atmospheric parts to keep me interested. And the album is just around 35 minutes long, which is another very good aspect of “Serpentine”, for me at least, because I am tired with all these too long and forgettable albums. “Serpentine” may not be the most memorable and instantly hooky black metal album, it may also be too hipster for the “orthodox black metallers” and too savage and vicious for those, who like black metal to sound... not like black metal. Who cares for them both. 

I sincerely enjoyed "Serpentine", I think that this album definitely deserves an attention. More than just solid and very interesting thought-out. Another fine French black metal band! 

Standout tracks: "Mouroir", “Etrusca disciplina” 

Verdict: 80/100