
Heavenly Down
(Hammerheart Records)
44:15min
With 29 years of existence SEAR BLISS has been putting out their characteristic Black Metal spirit since 1995 on this earth, and this way becoming a band with enough authority to speak. This Hungarian beast has been bringing up atmospheric elements in their DNA from its very beginning, conferring some sort of domain to aspects that at, first glance, might not seem to commonly related to the traditional and expected Black Metal rules and understanding. The importance they give to the synthesizer duties, those “space” passages and the inclusion of trumpet, trombone or baryton into their music throughout their entire discography, may result too disappointing for some of the more orthodox Black Metal seekers. But hold on, you still need to take a look! SEAR BLISS has a message for you! And I don’t know if this only happens to me, but whenever a hear a trumpet I immediately think of a battle coming in, warriors and galloping horses marching to their victory, angels announcing the impending attack. Epic! That’s how SEAR BLISS sounds to me. A horde destined to overcome or die! This album “Heavenly Down” released this 2024 by Hammerheart Records is here to challenge your preconceptions about the fundaments of that establishment called Black Metal. Just from the initial 21 seconds of the track ‘Infinite Grey’ which is the intro of the album, you instantly notice what the journey is going to be. SEAR BLISS is mastering the art of combining some space ambient, perhaps classical music elements with the roots of Black Metal to produce a very “beautiful” Black Metal environment. All through the album we travel from very raw moments to then stop on those transitions into more nostalgic surroundings. Like the forecast scenario in which lots of those warriors will never come back. I really paid attention to the track ‘Forgotten Deities’, the fifth one, as it represents the nostalgia of losing your best ones right in the middle of the war. If you are purist and you’re not open to a different taste, keep playing your Norwegians or Scandinavians (which I love too), but if you want to feel different sensations while still getting immersed in a journey to those other regions of the Black Metal frontiers, then give “Heavenly Down” a try. www.facebook.com/searblissband, www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords
Oswaldo Gonzalez
• SEAR BLISS - Forsaken Symphony (Stefan Franke)
• SEAR BLISS - Glory And Perdition (Matthias Auch)
• SEAR BLISS - Forsaken Symphony (Matthias Auch)