HOUR OF PENANCE — The Vile Conception (review)

HOUR OF PENANCE — The Vile Conception album cover Album · 2008 · Brutal Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"The Vile Conception" is the third full-length studio album by Italian death metal act Hour of Penance. The album was released through Unique Leader Records in February 2008. It´s the successor to "Pageantry for Martyrs" from 2005 and features a couple of lineup changes since the predecessor. Lead vocalist Alex Manco has been replaced by Francesco Paoli and bassist/guitarist Enrico Schettino has been replaced by new bassist Silvano Leone. All guitars on the album are performed by Giulio Moschini, except the guitar solo on "From Hate to Suffering", which is performed by Schettino (probably recorded before he left the band). Other than Moschini only drummer Mauro Mercurio remains from the linuep who recorded "Pageantry for Martyrs" (2005).

Lineup changes or not "The Vile Conception" sounds like the natural successor to "Pageantry for Martyrs" (2005). It´s brutal and technically well played death metal, which although it is undeniably very extreme and relentessly brutal and harsh, also features a more sophisticated dimension and a focus on memorable songwriting, which is rare on releases this extreme. In that respect it also follows in the footsteps of "Pageantry for Martyrs" (2005), which like this one is a surprisingly catchy brutal death metal release. The listener is treated to all the usual features of the genre in brutal riffs, incredibly fast-paced blasting drumming, breaks, tempo-changes, and a brutal growling vocalist in front. So it´s in the catchiness of the songwriting that "The Vile Conception" stands out.

"The Vile Conception" features a well sounding production, which is raw, powerful, and detailed, and provides the best possible conditions for the material to shine. The high level musical performances (including the well performed growling vocals) are great assets too, and upon conclusion "The Vile Conception" is a high quality death metal release by Hour of Penance. I don´t have a habit of calling artists underrated, as I usually respect that people have different opinions on what is great and what is not, but I´ll still make a case that in the vast sea of artists who play a similar style to Hour of Penance, this is a band worth your time. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.
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