It might not be that huge yet, the Middle Eastern scene, but believe me if I say that there are quite a lot of splendid Metal acts out there, despite religious suppression and narrow-minded bullshit. I can sum up quite an impressive list of great projects and bands from Iran, Saudi-Arab, Jordan or U.A.E., but I have to admit that I do not owe anything at all that comes from Lebanon. So, I’m like a virgin experiencing a Tripoli-based for the first time, but besides the bloody deflowering, it isn’t a painful experience at all; on the contrary, it pleases me, it satisfies me…
Hatecrowned hail from Tripoli, as mentioned before, and they independently released an EP at the end of 2013 (re-released on tape and the digital way in mean time). Now they come up with their first full length, which gets released in a collaboration in between Darzamadicus Records and Satanath Records (it is not for the first time that both labels join forces, by the way). Most of the material was recorded by main members Ayvaal and Dahaaka in Lebanon and, partially, in France, but the drums were recorded at the Art Of War Studio in Denmark by Benjamin ‘GoreDrummer’ Lauritsen, who took care of both mix and mastering too. Newborn Serpent clocks forty minutes and it comes with pretty nice artwork, actually. But let’s focus on the sonic side of the result…
Newborn Serpent stands for forty minutes of energetic, rhythmic, melodic and pounding Ultra-Dark Death / Black / Doom Metal with quite a funereal and melancholic approach. The stuff shows a rather obscured form of highly melodious and timeless, and why not, universal sonic extremity, but expressed through highly professional, creative (though not of the renewing kind) and crafted compositions. It starts with the great introduction, which did leave me confused (the positive way), but the impression of grandiose craftsmanship continues throughout the whole album. Often the so-called ‘Obscure Death / Black’ scene exhales grotesquery, pretention and fakeness, but in this band’s case the purity overwhelms me with warmth and coldness at the same time.
Besides, I think the interaction in between the different angles sounds so fluent, so natural, so evident. Sometimes the whole turns towards misanthropic blackened outbursts, then again towards quasi-grinding Morbid Death expression, occult Doom atmospheres or spine-chilling DSBM-alike structures – and everything in between. But above all, Hatecrowned maintain a cohesive execution, no matter if the outcome is fast or slow, integer or extravert, atmospheric or hateful, darkened or enlightening, melodious or chaotic in essence. It’s rather rare to have such differentiation and, at the same time, quite a coherent result, still with a very same-minded expression of occultism, timelessness and self-identity.
In conclusion I dare to add that Lebanon too, at least by means of this act, takes part of the great (re)vival of Middle Eastern splendor when talking about craftsmanship in both song writing and execution. Newborn Serpent is a fabulous recording that deserves attention; I do hope this review might be part of this band’s recognition!