Black Metal is a finicky genre. It goes through shifts and changes that keep it moving forward and there’s enough bands both established and brand new that it’s creative integrity and spiritual voice of the 90s continues to infect the new blood.

El Jefe forwarded the new Hammerfilosofi EP SOLUS (Igne Natura Renovator Integra) to me the other day and since I’m on a roll with writing I figured I’d give this a tackle.

From the presser: Recorded at WS Studios during the Autumn of 2023 and Winter 2024. The EP was mastered by Magnus “Devo” Andersson at Endarker Studios during the Spring of 2024. I saw 2023 and was like fuck, I can’t do it… so I double checked and it comes out this year so that was good.

From the presser: Behind the music is as per usual the Norwegian-Italian duo – NKTFR and FCCM. Lyrics for the EP were penned by long-time comrade of the band, Rune Vedaa from the legendary Norwegian Black Metal band Forgotten Woods.

“Hunt or be Hunted” begins with that ominous piece of music that almost every Black Metal band has used at least once, you’ll know it when you hear it; I don’t remember what it’s called in all honesty. But it only lasts for a bit and then the track erupts into some huge blasting, there’s some nice tempo changes that keep shit interesting too which is swell as well.

I have to remind myself that this is an EP. Mainly because it doesn’t feel like one. I mean, yeah there’s only four songs but they’re big enough to fill out a nice buffet of brutality. Next up is “Alpha Ego”, a sheer devastating Black Metal track. Blasts for days, people! 6:48 Minutes of menace and malice, with some cool samples at the beginning, it’s a relentless beast and it gives way to the sort of instrumental “Holy Fire” it thrashes like an alligator doing a death roll, in the background is spoken samples of Bible verses and of course,  J. Robert Oppenheimer ‘I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds’.

It’s a short track, only 2:48 but it sets the stage for the final ultra Doom (in the beginning)  complete with cymbal and guitar letting the notes hang in the air like a bloody mist. “Epigone of Tragedy” is my favorite song on SOLUS. The Doom gives way to some furious blasting and Black Metal harmonies that make this a satisfying closer to an enjoyable record.

The last few albums I’ve reviewed have been gripe-less affairs and Hammfilosofi has delivered a solid EP to the unsuspecting masses. Oh, I totally forgot about who would like this… Well if you like Merrimack or Ragnarok you’ll be on the right boat. Ugrehal too, for good measure could be added to that with no problem. Pick this up at your local music resource, you’ll be pleased.

[Visit the band's website]

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