Melencolia Estatica – Hel (2012)

Making their entrance to the totally weird and completely random category today we have Melencolia Estatica and ‘their’ latest release “Hel”. This one-woman band from Italy has a very unique sound that while at times is extremely chaotic and totally random sounding; it is actually quite intoxicating and interesting to listen to.

Often feeling like a nightmare, “Hel” provides a unique ride through waves of brutal Black Metal, crushing growls, and crazy orchestrations that flow very chaotically, but in a way they are quite enthralling. Opening with the deranged “Hel I”, this release quickly unleashes a wave of brutal sections complemented with very melodic and enigmatic passages full of layers of vocals. We have to say that the band’s sound is very unique, and after you get over the initial shock of how much is being thrown at you, Melencolia Estatica will quickly grow on you.

As the release progresses, the haunting melodies of tracks like “Hel II” will surely be creeping in our dreams for the next few months. The weirdness of “Hel III” comes in a very unusual and creepy atmosphere shape that is downright chilling. The best song for us has to be the downright unsettling “Hel IV”. We can immediately imagine this track being the soundtrack of a hybrid of the games Painkiller and Silent Hill. The atmospheric elements are very eerie and the vocals are extremely disturbing. With some subtle guitar riffs, this track couldn’t get any weirder and creepier.

If you haven’t been creeped out yet and felt uncomfortable for at least 90% of the duration of this album, then the closer “Hel VI” will get you. In general, we can’t be more pleased/disturbed with how Melencolia Estatica’s new album “Hel” turned out. This release is very well crafted and very complex indeed, there are just too many things going on that need more than a few spins to be fully digested and enjoyed. If you are one of those people with musical ADD, this album will be the perfect fit for you since it has so many things to offer that just suddenly appear at of nowhere.

Release: November 12th, 2012

Genre: Black Metal / Avant-Garde

Country: Italy