Sun Worship – Upon the Hills of Divination (Review)

This is the fourth album from German black metallers Sun Worship.

Brought to us by a member of both the mighty Ultha and Unru, Upon the Hills of Divination contains 41 minutes of modern black metal. Hold on tight and prepare yourself, as this one’s a special one.

This is damn good stuff. I’ve been a fan of Sun Worship for some time now, and this new record does not disappoint. They have evolved over the years, and this album is an immense revelation of their current form. I like that Sun Worship sit perfectly alongside Ultha and Unru as a complementary act, yet also have a personality of their own. All three share stylistic traits, yet all express them differently.

Upon the Hills of Divination combines harsh blackened brutality and dark atmospheric weight into music that fuses both together with enviable ease. It’s an album that sits at the crossroads between modern black metal aggression and an older atmospheric Cascadian-related one. Sprinkle in a few late 90s second wave elements here and there too, as well as a touch of death metal, and you have a contemporary slice of black metal that’s utterly absorbing.

The songs are expressive and soaked in emotive depth. There are blackened melodies that are noticeable upon first exposure to them, but you don’t even fully realise how effective they are until much later on. By then it’s too late, and they have you firmly in their grasp. Despite how very, very good Upon the Hills of Divination is the first time you listen to it, it’s upon subsequent multiple exposures that it truly reveals its depths and strengths. Like Ultha and Unru, Sun Worship are a band that reward time invested, revealing music that’s better than most.

What can I say but this – if you are a fan of modern black metal, then experiencing Upon the Hills of Divination should be your absolute priority.

Essential.