February 4th was a very special day for Swedish extreme metal band Hyperion. Despite having been around since 2007, this is the day they released their first full length album Seraphical Euphony and I must say: what an album it is!
The first pearl you get to hear when putting in the CD is Remnants of the fallen. It’s a fully instrumental intro with very catchy guitar playing and a beautiful build-up in intensity. What I like about this song is that it, without pausing, flows into the second number on the CD, Novus Ordo Seclorum. Here you clearly hear the black metal aspect the band is going for. This will make your blood pump and leave you craving for more. Luckily for you, there’s the third song of the album, Flagellum Dei. Personally this is one of my favourite tracks. Starting off as though it’s the more mellow part of the album, a minute in you come to realize you couldn’t be more wrong. Chunky riffs and a beautiful touch of piano playing in the background make your ears get moist of pleasure.
Next up is the title track, Seraphical Euphony. Being the longest song of the album (8min 21sec long), it really does do the whole album credit. The song starts off with practically the same riff that appears in the intro leaving you to think: “I know this from somewhere”. Though this is a small detail, upon hearing it it gives a nice feeling, making the album sound more connected instead of the songs just being slapped in there like a mix tape. The calmer parts complement the gruffier parts too, creating a healthy balance. Moral Evasion is up next. Again with a calm intro, this song soon turns into an offspring of bands like Kataklysm. Fast-paced yet head-bobbingly catchy.
The last song I want to talk about is the grand finale Blood Of The Ancients. This is the only song on this album with clean singing in it. It’s nice that they put it in there, creating a different feel in an album that is otherwise maybe considered too powerfull. But in my opinion it doesn’t 100% fit. This said, the song is also amazing, creating that extra push, giving you that extra rush of adrenaline and ultimately fading out just to leave you behind gobsmacked and craving more.
This band, Hyperion, have made something they can be proud of. It’s easily enjoyable by all, especially with their black, death and melodic influences. People will deffinitely hear a touch of their favourite bands in every song. I give Seraphical Euphony a well deserved 9/10. Nothing major to complain about. I’m looking forward to see if these guys can bring on their next album the same as what they brought here.
Release date: February 4th, 2016
Label: Black Lion Productions
Tracklist:
1. Remnants of the Fallen
2. Novus Ordo Seclorum
3. Flagellum Dei
4. Seraphical Euphony
5. Moral Evasion
6. Primal Cosmic Ascendancy
7. Zephyr of Grace
8. Empyrean Yearning
9. Blood of the Ancients
