Hammer of the Heretics

Hailing from France Autokrator have become quite a household name among fans of the extreme metal genre within the past few years and they try their best to further build on that reputation by churning out full length number three within the timeframe of four years. Just by starring at the cover it becomes immediately obvious that this record does not contain light music for sunny days but some dark and hefty stuff. Band leader Loic is not only playing guitars and bass here but is also running the well-respected label Krucyator (also releasing this album) and anyone familiar with the back catalogue of said label is going to recognize a lot of the trademarks established by their releases.

Death metal has moved in many different directions since its heyday in the early nineties. But regardless of what new and various sonic directions it runs headlong into, at its core it remains a subgenre obsessed with brutality. Autokrator tap into that spirit in significant and effective ways with “Hammer of the Heretics”, creating one of the most focused, invigorating, and punishing death metal releases of the past few years. They mainly follow the Incantation school of music enhanced by some blackish touches and an extra portion of angriness resulting in a hellish piece of art. The industrial undertone is still present but to my ears this detail becomes more subtle with each subsequent release.

The guitar work is switching between stoic and brooding parts and faster and more aggressive sections. There is a certain melodic factor in the music but not so much at the surface but subtly woven into the overall sound. There are a lot of slower pieces where the slightly melancholic guitar sound helps creating an eerie and depressing atmosphere. This is dark and moody music and while I am not talking about anything like ambient death metal “Hammer of the Heretics” might not be the best fit for anyone looking for some catchy and fun music. However, some of the harmonies and haunting melodies are outstanding and will stick with the listener after having heard them a few times.

With tradeoffs between chugging rhythms and high-end tremolo, slowed down tribal drums and breakneck blast beats, everything embedded in sinister and haunting soundscapes, the whole album builds to a nauseating expulsion of raw energy, before dissipating in another cloud of buzzing flies. And throughout all this chaos, the production is never muddied, never too busy, always unflinching in capturing the relentless assaults on display. On top of that the desperate and brutal vocal delivery by singer David will make sure to give you a nightmarish experience that should not be missed. I got the standard jewel case edition which is not listed here but has recently been added having a slightly (but equally disturbing) cover.

This is an album that took awhile to tweak that perfect eq, much like Ruins of Beverast's release last year. And like that album, I took the time because I knew there was gold waiting to be uncovered. With that said, be wary of the format/speaker system used because it very easily could sound like a wall of fuzz with clear drums. As mentioned in the title of this review, don't expect flashy gimmicks or a niche beaten to death. This is crushing death metal where they still have an identity.

Like mentioned above, the drums are clear. This is fortunate because there is so much attitude and panache that you'd be remiss to let it slip by. There are more than a few where the drummer gets to relish in his time in the sun. They never overstep their boundary nor get too flashy at the wrong point. It's as if he perfectly knows his place yet also realizes when he needs to make a statement. See the last tracks "breakdown" halfway through the song (not a breakdown in any sort of core way. It's very tasteful and classic). Pay special attention the his right hand on the crash ball. That's where the attitude comes into play. The vocals are traditional death metal fare but just unique enough to catch your attention here and there, which is more than can be said for many bands. There's a handful of sections where the rhymes are very noticeable and I applaud that in death metal. Speaking on the "fuzz wall" mentioned earlier, I must say the guitars we're hard to really sink my teeth into. The tones were unmistakable, and that might be enough, but I know there's more than what meets the ear. There's not much riffage, but more elongated chords and just enough tremolo picking. I will do more research.

The song writing is quite the work. The interaction between the drums and guitars is very enjoyable which leads to memorable sections where they both resemble a similar path diverted from the core song. There's some fun play between the percussion and strings, like on the final track. The songs are hefty I length, though not ambient black metal in length. Really there's 4 tracks,due to the third track being an odd interlude. One last note, I bought this physical CD off Bandcamp and it came in what resembles a DVD digipak! It's the first I've seen of this, which is cool, but man it's hard to fit on my music shelf. Be wary of the possibility of needing to add it to your film shelf.

Favorite Tracks:
--Inquisitio-Denunciatio-Exceptio
--Le Sang Impur

*I only put two tracks due to the fact that there's 4 real songs on the album so listing 3 would make it 75% of the songs. That just seems wrong.

Musician skill: 86% Originality: 89% Production: 78% Song writing: 90% Personal enjoyment: 93%

Formed in 2014, and already leaving a sizable amount of past members in their wake, Autokrator dropped their third full length album, Hammer of the Heretics, in April 2018. Like the rest of the band’s back catalog, the newest installment is a lesson in punishing extremity. While the band started as some type of droning death/doom metal hybrid on their self-titled debut, over the course of their short career, they’ve morphed into one of the most harrowing and unrelenting forces in death metal.

Hammer of Heretics boasts five tracks; well, four plus and interlude, across thirty-four minutes. There is little downtime during the album’s playtime, focusing on an assault on the senses via a barrage of heavy handed riffs, decrepit, gravel-laden growls, and a drum performance that makes frenetic blasting seem tame. Honestly, Autokrator has had some seriously heavy works in the past, but Hammer of the Heretics is their most heavy, by far. Everything about this album exists to drag you down; pull you under the crushing weight of its twisted heaviness as waves of thundering, slow moving death metal crash against your skull. In spite of the perturbing weight, the music contains a remarkable flow, moving from trudging battery to enveloping claustrophobia with ease.

The thick, ponderously moving bass lines congeal with the bass drum, causing a deep sluice of sound that serves as a constant, swirling presence that is felt just as much as heard. The destructive riffing patterns often merge with this sound, creating a maelstrom of punishment that only random cymbal fills and the deep, cavernous vocals emerge from. When not coalescing with the low end, the riffing focuses on a barrage of slow moving thunder and preciously balanced tremolo riffing. Guest drummer, Kévin Paradi, does a fantastic job matching the band’s serpentine writing, with a near constant double bass cycle and some really ear catching rhythms on the cymbals.

Hammer of the Heretics is not an easily accessible album: it’s immensely dense and punishing. That being said, main songwriter LF has a knack for crafting songs that are incredibly listenable in spite of the volatile nature of the music. This album shows a band establishing their grasp on a genre that’s being overridden with technical fluff and lo-fi theatrics. It’s a lesson that shows not only does terrifying heaviness not have to suffer shitty production or boast wanky flair, but it’s strikingly better and more destructive without either.

Written for The Metal Observer.