Angeldemon

Hermh is a band from Poland. It became a recognizable name in the Polish metal underground because of the support of another very well known Polish band - Behemoth. And that’s pretty much all I knew before I got this record…

After listening to this CD I can say that: Hermh plays melodic black metal. Their vocalist uses a vast array of vocal styles: melodeclamations, shrieks, growls and whispers. Their compositions consist of soft and sometimes fast guitar riffs and the occasional blast beat - but most of all: extensive keyboard usage. Their music is very soft as for black metal, even in its more mellow forms. I believe this record consists of more calm parts than any other black metal record in the history of the genre. Actually, it is mostly build up from calm parts. The track “Dreamdeath Lover” also utilizes industrial noises and techno beats.

I read that when you criticize someone or something it’s good to start with what you like… So I guess I like the cover. The cover art is drawn nicely and it fits the album title quite well, and the cover itself is like a folded poster. Very nice. So now to what I don’t like. I don’t like the softness of the guitars and the overuse of the pretentious melodeclamations. I don’t like the techno beats and crap they used in “Dreamdeath Lover” (however the industrial sounds are cool). I don’t like the fact, that even when every once in a while their music gets a bit more extreme, the keyboards soften their music, cover up the guitars and ruin the effect. I don’t like the songs themselves - they’re boring and they suck. And I don’t like this whole record. It’s useless. Well, at least it was cheap. (A few minutes and deep breaths later…) No, stop, I got carried away there, it’s not that crappy. I just get mad when I hear music that is supposed to be metal and that could not suck, but has keyboards all over. Keyboards in metal are acceptable when they’re in the background, when they’re not they spoil the music.

I think it’s weak, but my pal, who is a total black metal maniac, liked it. So if you’re also almost uncritical towards black metal, you may like it too, ‘cause it’s really not THAT bad - well, at least it wouldn’t be if they shot the fucking keyboardist... But if you’re not - don’t waste your time and money.