Hesperian Death Horse - Mrtav

Review by Majbritt Levinsen.


From the very first skewed notes that emerges out of the calm dark atmosphere I’m caught and drowned. Lured in by the beautiful haunting callings from the depths. I like how the music takes off into new directions, evolves, twists and turns. The sound is nervy, rough, dark, sinister, sad and beautiful all at the same time. The vocal is rough quenched whispers of despair that evolves into full blown frustrating screams. This gives the songs an extra emotional boost and couldn’t be more suited to the purpose of making a truly noteworthy release. I’m lost for words...

Hesperian Death Horse is an experimental, post-metal band from Zagreb, Croatia formed in 2012. The band members are: Dario Orač - guitars/vocals, Domagoj Žunić - bass/vocals, Sven Sorić - guitars/vocals and Ivan Kukuljević - drums. Together they have set out to create music about the psychedelic, nihilistic poetry of everyday stumbling from death to birth and between, and they have, so far, done this very well.

Mrtav (Croatian for Death) is the first release of a planned trilogy covering the 3 stages of the human life cycle Birth, Life and Death in reverse order.

[...]Despite our different languages, cultures, ideals, beliefs, and values, we all birthed into this world, live our lives, then die. It is that simple and thus, we are all equal. We want this music to convey one’s internal vision of what happens during the last moments, be it minutes, hours, or days, of our life.
Sven Soric, guitarist of HDH (Source: Play the Assassin).

And I have to mention the lyrics! They are very special, thought provocative, elusive and up for interpretation.

It burns my halo to ashes that you're so misguided.
Elders…they feed on the young ones.
Masticating thyroid, covering in black robes to unveil the muck.
The silence roars with plagiaristic monuments.
Crown yourselves in the sewers of misbelief.
Embrace His left hand path to digest.
I'm laying. Now lay your hands on me.
Circulate through me. Disgrace me.
From “Morte (Part 4:Oltar)”

I like this concept and am very much looking forward to the following releases. Hopefully by the end of the year I will have a new Hesperian Death Horse album to listen to, this time covering life! In the meantime I will dim the lights, sit back comfortably and enjoy this journey into the final stages of life: death.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]