This is the third album from Hyperdontia, an international death metal band.
Harvest of Malevolence is the 40-minute follow up to 2021’s very enjoyable Hideous Entity, which made it onto my end of year list. Hyperdontia seem to just be getting better and better, and Harvest of Malevolence is another win for this skilled death metal act.
Now this is how I like them – no filler, no intros or interludes or similar space-wasters; Hyperdontia just go for the throat with each of these eight tracks. This is a band that know their style with the intimacy of a serial killer, and go about their grisly work with undisguised relish.
Harvest of Malevolence offers up a banquet of furious bloody riffs and fleshy rhythms to sink your teeth into. Whether attacking with fast-paced fury or crushing with malignant groove, Hyperdontia bring a dynamic death metal energy that’s infectious. There are some screaming solos here too that just tear through the music in lethal lacerations. The music’s carnage is enriched by an intricate technicality that’s almost hidden amidst the savagery and flying limbs, layering the music with dark depths for those that wish to plumb them.
It’s not just a guitar show, as everything here is forged from the finest metallic materials. I like that the bass gets its time to shine; frequently in death metal this means that it wanders around separate to everything else, like in the progressive forms of the style. Here though it’s used either to accentuate or to add texture, and both approaches work very well indeed. The punishing drums have a satisfying sound and feel; organic, yet forceful. In fact, the entire album feels quite organic, while still benefiting from being hugely heavy. Finally I’ll mention the absolutely disgusting growls that permeate the release like a guttural plague. The singer’s voice is monstrous.
The songs are well-written and showcase a band with a keen ear for brutality. Sinister melodies and macabre atmosphere are also used at key points, with some songs featuring more of this aspect of the band than others – Pestering Lamentations is a prime example of this.
This is quality death metal. Hyperdontia’s old-school assault is brutal and effective. If you’re a fan of the style then Harvest of Malevolence is so very easy to get on board with.
Essential listening.
Wonderbox Metal 