Komende week komt Anatomy of Darkness uit, het tweede album van Haliphron. Afgelopen vrijdag trakteerde het vijftal ons op de tweede single van dat album.
Na een aanstekelijk intro volgt een heerlijke "openings-grunt" van Marloes en komt het geheel lekker op gang. Indrukwekkend, weer!
Haliphron is een band - gevormd in 2021 - die bestaat uit verschillende leden die tot de bekendere van de Nederlandse metal behoren. Zo kennen we zangeres Marloes Voskuil en gitarist Jeroen Wechgelaer van Izegrim, zien we bassist Jessica Netto en gitarist Ramon Ploeg onder andere ook op het podium bij Bleeding Gods, speelde Paul Beltman in het verleden al drums bij Sinister en kennen we keyboardspeler David Gutierrez Rojas onder meer van Bleeding Gods. Kortom: een club vakmensen.
Marloes (vocals) comments on the track: "'Art of the Blade' delves into the struggle of living with emotional pain and using self-harm as a coping mechanism. The protagonist numbs his emotions through self-inflicted wounds, which provide a sense of control and hope. Though often misunderstood by others, his scars stand as a testament to his pain and resilience. Despite his desire to break free from this torment, he remains ensnared in the cycle of self-harm.
He challenges the shallow judgments of others, asserting his identity beyond his scars. The lyrics conclude with a defiant stance against those who judge him, emphasizing his strength and complexity.
This song is dedicated to everyone struggling with their mental health."
Lees:
HALIPHRON was established in 2021, comprising former and current members of notable Dutch metal bands, including Izegrim, Bleeding Gods, and God Dethroned. This ensemble of musicians, who have known each other for many years and have previously performed and toured together, share a deep friendship and a unified passion for their craft.
The band's primary musical objective is to create a powerful and bombastic metal sound that is relatively uncommon in their native country. While their music represents a sonic departure from their previous projects, HALIPHRON does not seek to reinvent the genre. Instead, they deliver their music with compelling melodies, catchiness, and energy.
Their notable performances at events such as CopenHell, Bloodstock, and support shows for artists like Arch Enemy demonstrate the band's strength and dynamism.
Their new album, ‘Anatomy of Darkness’ -a follow-up to their debut album ‘Prey’- is anticipated to be a formidable, dark, aggressive, and epic release.
The band offers insights into the new album:
"With this album, we aimed to recapture the production quality of the 90s and early 2000s. We returned to a traditional studio setup with analog equipment, acoustic drum recordings, high quality guitar preamps, power amps, cabinets, and microphones. Additionally, we worked with seasoned recording, mixing, and mastering engineers, Hans Pieters and Andy Classen.
The central theme of ‘Anatomy of Darkness’ explores the dangerous addictions that people can have. Everyone has an inner darkness, but the challenge lies in managing it. The album features tracks about various addictions, including serial killing, gambling, painkillers, self-mutilation, and arson. It poses the critical question: How does one confront and manage their inner darkness?”
HALIPHRON's lyrical themes are consistently intertwined with their captivating and powerful sound. For ‘Anatomy of Darkness’, the band has pushed their boundaries further than ever before. The album features shorter, more guitar and riff-based tracks, intense lead guitar parts, and an overall more aggressive tone. A key component is the vocal diversity, incorporating grunts, screams, growls, whispers, and even clean singing. These elements combine to make ‘Anatomy of Darkness’ a loud, epic, and aggressive metal album. The band further elaborates on the album's cover artwork:
"The cover artwork symbolizes the essence of darkness. It depicts a figure standing in a wheat field, representing the struggle against addiction. Darkness dissipates into small pieces, transforming into birds of freedom (which displayed on the back cover). This can be interpreted in two ways: overcoming addiction and achieving freedom, or succumbing to it and finding a different form of freedom. It represents every individual's personal battle with their inner darkness. The title track, ‘Anatomy of Darkness’, is the final instrumental piece on the album, encapsulating the entire narrative. It signifies the ultimate defeat against addiction, leading to eternal punishment in a place of outer darkness."
HALIPHRON is:
Marloes Voskuil - Vocals
Ramon Ploeg - Guitars
Jeroen Wechgelaer - Guitars
Jessica Otten - Bass
Paul Beltman - Drums
Keys and choirs by David Gutierrez Rojas
