Album Review: Insineratehymn - Irreverence of the Divine
Reviewed by Sam Jones
Here w come to a band that prior to learning of their upcoming release was completely unknown to me. Formed in 2008 out of California, United States, Insineratehymn are an extreme metal act with a minute music catalogue. Since their inception the band have yet to record or release anything other than full length albums. Though the band broke up in 2012, Insineratehymn were reborn just a few years later and unleashed their first studio, A Moment In A Vision, in 2018. Acquiring a new bassist, Nico Poblete, in 2020 the band were then able to undergo writing and recording sessions for album two which ended up titled as Disembodied. That record was released in 2022, bringing us nicely to Insineratehymn’s third full length work and the reason we’re here: Irreverence Of The Divine. Its curious to see a band forgo all other forms of releasing music, creating a smaller catalogue by which prospective fans may discover them. But let’s have a peek at what Insineratehymn are made of. Irreverence Of The Divine is due out April 21st though Memento Mori.
Though it begins with a calm acoustic piece we mustn’t think the band are going to hold our hand throughout their performance for when things really get underway, the power is present in droves. In a way their opening nearly deliberately pulls yo into this false sense of security, lowering your guard right on cue for them to punch you clean in the throat. Particular credit must be given to the vocal performance as while we receive the contemporary growling delivery soon into the record, vocalist Frank Montero demonstrate his ability exceeds typical death metal capabilities for his vocal timbre can suddenly climb from growl to shriek with little to showcase the transition between the two forms. Furthermore, this delivery is evident all across the record as Montero constantly throws us back and forth, utilising the more scathing vocal route when the band are seeking to hit us with their more piercing and unkind songwriting.
Speaking of which, Insineratehymn really d believe variety is key to keeping their audience on board and you can see that in how their songwriting keeps us engaged across faster and slower segments. You might be experiencing a more trudging segment, appreciating a crunch in riff attack before the songwriting signals that things are about to pick up. But then the bass drums might not be fully deployed until the next movement whereby the band reach their volatile apex with that specific song before calming things once more to let solo or that blast beat be given its due. As death metal goes, Insineratehymn play things pretty clean and straight, people searching for more technical or avant-garde styles won’t be satisfied here, but that doesn’t stop the band from showing us what they can do. Their guitar work is great, showcasing inventive riffs that lie outside death metal’s conventional norm yet still finding their way back into riff attacks you’re more than familiar with. There’s just enough happening outside the box here to keep us invested and confident in Insineratehymn’s capabilities to stand out.
Regarding the mix Irreverence Of The Divine doesn’t do too much out of the ordinary however I loved how much additional bass the band were looking to inject here. Although the majority of the band’s instrumentation blends together to create that nightmarish concoction without hardly slowing down, there are key instances where their bass work really pushes on through. You can hear and feel each string on the bass guitar reverb and snap back as one riff sequence is given way to the next. Across the mix the bass guitar only feels to be a step lower than the regular guitar so whilst these riffs, especially on the slower end, are being cranked out, you’ll feel the bass just behind it, like a shadow. What’s more the bass drums add huge flurries of strength to the record with every barrage the band unload upon us; the drumming on the whole is easily the most projecting sound on the album as it can’ help but come right into your face but those bass drums do well to expand the scope of their record pushing the walls further and further back until the true size of Insineratehymn’s sound is brought to fruition.
When one continues listening to Insineratehymn, whether it be this record or, as I believe, throughout their previous releases, you’ll be on the proud receiving end of an approach to songwriting that leaves the gate with a sole objective: to kill you. Irreverence Of The Divine doesn’t try and roll out anything special or outside the persona the band build up throughout the record. It sticks to its guns and leaves opinions to you alone as to whether you’re down to share time with Insineratehymn. For ten full tracks the place where you discover the band first off will be the same place you leave them at, however this is hardly a detrimental factor since the band reveal themselves with naked honesty. There’s nothing fancy or superficial with Insineratehymn’s presence; their sound may not move all too far outside how it’s immediately presented to us yet the band are clearly comfortable in their own skin. There’s plenty to enjoy and revel in with their sound for their performance is charged with this harrowing, arcane zeal.
In conclusion, Insineratehymn are a band who, in the grand scheme of things, don’t have all that much material since their 2008 formation but now on their third album see themselves pearly cementing the sound born and moulded across their previous releases. As mentioned, Insineratehymn are an act who stick to their guns and go out of their way to dilute their assault of everything that doesn’t have anything to do with blunt force impact; its that unapologetic and unfeeling sound that tells us our wants for this record don’t count, placing all the power in the band’s court. We are thus positioned entirely at their mercy as they deliver one pummelling piece after another, but since there’s nothing to alleviate such an unbridled attack I believe the record is just long enough as it is before losing us. Records like this are still deserving of attention; they get in, get out, go home. I’m curious how this album will be received by the masses for whilst it refuses to budge from its already established plinth, there really are some interesting licks and songwriting sequences waiting for us.
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