Band: Hollenthon

Title: Opus Magnum

Label: Napalm Records

Distribution: Hard Life Promotion – Rough Trade

Release date: 30/05/2008

Review: CD

The Austrian Metal-master Martin Schirenc is known from, especially, Pungent Stench, yet he also plays / played in Mudbreed and Kreuzweg Ost (the latter with (former) Summoning / Amestigon / Abigor / Die Verbannten Kinder Evas / Mirkwood / Pazuzu / … member Silenius), and he is also known for his productional assistance to bands as, for example, Golden Dawn, Collapse 7, Raventhrone, Pazuzu and others. Besides all this, Martin was also the master mind behind the band Vuzem, in those days (I’m talking bout the first part of the nineties) consisting of anonymous members and especially known for its contribution on the Norici Obscura Pars-sampler, which was released through the Austrian Black Metal Syndicate-organisation, where Martin was member of. Vuzem’s music drew the attention of Napalm Records, the well-known label that, back then, released material from extreme, obscure and / or dark (Black) Metal projects and bands (think: Abigor, Setherial, Summoning, Belmez, N å strond 666 , and so on). As you know, the label’s musical direction has changed into a more ‘universal’ one (yet still with extreme Black Metal artists on the catalogue). Anyway, Napalm Records was interested in Vuzem’s material, and finally, in 1999, the album Domus Mundi was released under the moniker of Hollenthon. In 2001, a second album was released, With Vilest Of Worms To Dwell, yet the resurrection of Pungent Stench made that Martin wanted to concentrate on the latter and Hollenthon was, more or less, put aside for a while. Yet now, since Pungent Stench split again (definitively?), Martin choose for a permanent line-up to promote the newest Hollenthon-recording, Opus Magnus. This permanent line-up, by the way, is, besides Martin Schirenc: Martin Arzberger (guitars), Mike Gröger (drums) and Pungent Stench-colleague Gregor Marboe.

For forty six minutes, Opus Magnus stands for a magnificent opus that combines melodic yet heavy Dark Metal, epic Black Metal, Classical Opera-influenced music and horror-soundtrack-alike symphonies into a huge, orchestral, overwhelming Metal-Opera. Of course it is comparable to both former releases, yet on the other hand it is not at all. The first one (the comparison) is a fact because both former releases were as eccentric as this one, the second (the non-comparison) because the evolution in Hollenthon’s music is never-ending. Every single track is filled with tempo-changes (from very slow over pondering mid-tempo to thrashing-fast), many different instrumental levels, lots of unusual elements (in both instruments and vocals), orchestral and atmospheric passages, a massive sound and a superior sense of lyrical greatness. The atmosphere and the production are comparable: grim, sardonic, cold, obscure and oppressing, and also the artwork goes on in the very same vein of horrific darkness.

85/100

Ivan Tibos.