SENMUTH — Hiperperakion (review)

Album · 2010 · Industrial Metal

3.5/5 · 2011-02-17
Conor Fynes

'Хиперперакион' - Senmuth (7/10)

In an absolute behemoth of a discography, Senmuth's brand of diverse ethnic ambient techno-metal is generally consistent in it's quality, but there's usually a feeling that if this Russian one man project would only spend a little more time on a project in terms of the songwriting and melodic work, something much more magical and profound would come out of it. That being said, there have still been a few albums that have been spawned from Senmuth that can be considered very good, even excellent works of music. Moreover, albums like 'Хиперперакион' that have both the challenging aspect, and quality to them make the whole discography worth it. It may just be my imagination- much like a man lost in the desert for so long, and visualizing a mirage- but 'Хиперперакион' appears to reflect a perfect melange of Senmuth's styles and qualities, making a dense work of music that throws in enough melodic sense and variety to make for a very pleasing addition to the vast work of Senmuth.

Labelled by Senmuth frontman Valery Av as 'ethno metal,' 'Хиперперакион' is an instrumental venture revolving around the history of Bulgaria. An artist evidently intrigued by the expanse of history and wide range of cultures around the world, Senmuth has typically ventured into the realm of Middle-Eastern and Indian culture when it comes to his concept pieces and music, so conceptually, this album stands out. Musically however, the ethnic sounds Senmuth has grown to use are still here, giving everything but a European cultural sound. Comprising the ethnic element of the music are Middle-Eastern acoustic instruments, and exotic woodwind and stringed instruments (or, at least the sound of instruments- many of the instruments here are synthesized through computer program.) While not doing well to represent the concept of the album, the music is indeed diverse, giving a pretty interesting listen throughout the album.

While it may arguably be the element for which Senmuth is defined in the world of heavy metal music, the ethnic music here is only a portion of what's going on here. Throughout his career, Senmuth has also dived into alot of electronic and (of course) rock and metal, and these are also represented in relatively equal part to the world sound. Unlike many metal- sounding albums from Senmuth however, the guitars here do not sound so obnoxious and out of place, instead content to mesh into the mix and contribute tastefully, instead of opting for sheer heaviness as usual.

One of the best Senmuth albums I have heard yet. In terms of the composition, things are varied here and there does seem to be an extra detail to substance in the composition on 'Хиперперакион,' but as always, some of the tracks here can get lost in themselves, and run the risk of dragging on a bit long. A very good album in any case.