Register Forgot login?

© 2002-2024
Encyclopaedia Metallum

Privacy Policy

Hellveto > Zmierzch > Reviews
Hellveto - Zmierzch

An average release by Hellveto, so amazing - 94%

Noktorn, February 19th, 2009

'Zmierzch' is another one of Hellveto's most widely available releases, and coincidentally also one of the project's most accessible to the new listener. A fairly direct follow-up to 'Klatwa' (after the pause due to chronological irregularity in the form of 'Prelude To Dying'), it succeeds in many of the places that 'Klatwa' fell somewhat weak in, and as such is just under 'Stos' as far as quality in this particular subdomain of Hellveto releases featuring a greater emphasis on rhythmic interplay between metallic and orchestral instruments. It's right in the middle of the pack as far as quality goes (which still means it's outstanding along with all other Hellveto albums), not quite hitting the heights of albums such as 'In Arms Of Kurpian Phantom' nor the lows of 'Medieval Scream'. It's a good album for the new fan to explore the project with, and longtime fans won't want to miss it either.

A good nutshell description of 'Zmierzch' would be to say that it takes the musical structuring of 'Klatwa' and overlays it with the atmosphere of 'Zemsta'. The simplified makeup up the music certainly follows in the footsteps of 'Klatwa', with a few songs again having no more than a handful of consistently repeated melodic themes, but this time the songs are generally shorter and more to the point, with some falling within the three minute mark, making the tracks less seemingly arduous; if 'Klatwa' was Hellveto's 'Chaosphere', this is their 'Nothing'. The atmosphere, however, is fully lifted from albums like 'Zemsta' or 'Prelude To Dying', with their folky, medieval feel firmly entrenching this release in the past. On the other hand, this is perhaps the most neoclassical release by Hellveto since 'In Arms Of Kurpian Phantom', with some of that album's Victorian-style orchestral melodies popping up from time to time, making for a varied and consistently interesting release.

This is one of Hellveto's easier to listen to works, which makes it an ideal entry point for the new fan. The shorter, more direct songs are certainly easier to deal with than some of the more sprawling works of other albums, and the generally simpler construction of the songs doesn't quite overwhelm a listener in the way that something like 'Shadow Of The Blue' does. However, unlike on 'Klatwa', no weakness is evidenced by the simpler than usual nature of these songs, which is again likely owing to the more conservative length of the tracks, which gives the simple and relatively few ideas per track less time to wear themselves out on the listener. These seem like rather backhanded pros for the music, but in all honesty, the compositions themselves are as strong as ever. The metallic and orchestral instruments weave in and out of each other in that fashion only Hellveto can master, and the usage of irregular rhythms in the orchestral section are used to great effect to build tension. The custom Hellveto sound is still completely there and loses no strength on this (or any other) release.

While it's not my favorite Hellveto release, it still gets regular spins in my CD player for continuing the legacy of this great artist and realizing the potential that lay just barely unrealized in 'Klatwa'. The more accessible nature makes this a must-buy for those new to the artist, and its quality will likely entice longtime fans of the project as well. Very strong and of course worth your time, as is all Hellveto.