FUNERAL MIST - HEKATOMB (2018) LP and CD song by song review

Even though I don't like to use the term my favorite band. Yes I do think that Funeral Mist is even better then Marduk, Dissection and Emperor the three bands that got me into this genre back in 1994. Even better then other bands that I also rate very high like Darkthrone, Bathory, Burzum, Arcturus and Wardruna. So one could definitely say Funeral Mist is my favorite band.

Didn't think we would ever see another album by Funeral Mist. It's "only" been 9 years since Arioch released Maranatha in 2009 but I thought Arioch/Mortuus was satisfied with Marduk being his main and only musical outlet.

So it was quite a shock when I got the e-mail on June 9th from the Norma Evangelium Diaboli bandcamp saying that Funeral Mist was releasing a new album that was called Hekatomb. It was also being released just 6 days later. Sadly the wait got longer with shipping then on the 15th.

However the album was available to stream via the Bandcamp phone app since the 13th and on their site if you had bought the album there which I had. Usually I mainly listening to my albums on a stereo and preferable on vinyl.

It was so tempting to stream Hekatomb and I admit that I had to do it because I was going literally batshit crazy waiting for it to hear it. My LP and CD came into my possession on Tuesday and I could finally listen to the damn thing properly. One of the two t-shirts also came in that package the other one has been shipped now and the Hekatomb silkscreen poster. Will do a post when I got both t-shirts I now own 9 Funeral Mist ones so I'm missing a few.

Arioch is of course vocalist and play guitar and bass on the record like he has done since the 2nd Funeral Mist release the Havoc Demo II '96. He has the former Marduk drummer Lars Broddesson (2006-2013) or "Lars B" as the booklet say play drums on Hekatomb. Just like on the previous album Maranatha he once again recorded the album in the Marduk bassist Devo Andersson owned Endarker Studio.

I purposely didn’t read any reviews, opinions, comments or even talked with anyone about the Hekatomb album. Even if I’m not an easily impressionable person I wanted my opinion be free of any other persons opinions about it.

Don't know if the people who read my blog follow me on Instagram @herr_black_metal there many will comment or send messages with "great/nice/awesome review". Now I've never considered myself a reviewer even if some seem to think that I am.

So for this post I will try and act as one. That means I cannot factor in expectations only what’s presented on the album. If that make sense? Anyway here we go:

Once again we're cast into the weird twisted sinister realm only Arioch can create and reign with in Funeral Mist.

I really like the cover artwork to Hekatomb it looks nothing like Salvation (2003) or Devilry (1998) and way different then my favorite cover art of them all Maranatha (2009). The rest of the layout is in the same vein as the ones we're familiar with from the previous albums.

Both the CD and LP comes with a lyrics booklet, the CD one has more pictures then the LP one. A big disappointment is that Hekatomb doesn't come with a poster like Funeral Mist LP's usually do, even the reissued vinyls had that. There's a Hekatomb silkscreen that I ordered via Funeral Mist bandcamp. Anyway on with the song by song review:

In Nomine Domini (4:31) is the opening song which in Latin means "in the name of God". After a short intro the bass starts playing in a slow tempo about 50 seconds into the song it takes off and clearly Funeral Mist are fucking back at full force! The tempo slows down again a sample of some Swedish preacher screaming I can only hear clearly "i Jesu namn" which means as you probably can guess "in the name of Jesus" then it intense once again. Perfect opening of the album that seamlessly transcends into the next song.

Naught But Death (4:42) starts of with a great guitar riff, throughout the song a chanting voice is heard in the mix. They blend very well with Arioch's vocals. It's another amazing song and if Funeral Mist played live I would headbang my longhaired scalp through the entire beast of a song.

Shedding Skin (4:48) takes of from the start and it goes fast as hell. Here you can hear why Arioch is in my opinion the best vocalist in the scene and of all time. His vocal approach to the songs of Funeral Mist is very different from what he does in Marduk it sounds much more possessive and demonic. Something bands should take not of this album more or Funeral Mist in general on how to get the right flow on the record. So far the songs on Hekatomb are placed in the perfect order (and it continues throughout the entire album). Anyway Shedding Skin is another masterpiece of a song.

Cockatrice (7:27) the second longest song on Hekatomb. It starts off fast and with guitar playing twisted leads and shouldn't fit the song but it does it continues in the song on occasion. The keyboard is first heard 1.5 min into the song about halfway in they start again to completely take over the song when the tempo drops. A full minute ambient part add much to the mood of the song. Then the other instruments comes back and we're once again in Funeral Mist frantic madness. A lonely slow drum beat ends the song, the same one that goes into the next song.

Metamorphosis (7:35) the longest song on the album. The B-side of the album like I wrote start with the exact drumbeat as the previous one ended with about 30 seconds in the guitar and a low mixed choir join. The slow tempo continues and about half way in the choir chants now higher in the mix.

I don't have any particular favorite songs on the album because Hekatomb is a full experience. But both Cockatrice and Metamorphosis my suggestion is that if your not already completely lost into the Funeral Mist madness listen carefully to those two.

Within The Without (3:13) is the shortest song on the album but in those 3 minutes Arioch pack so much into the song. It starts of fast and frantic the guitar work by Arioch is amazing and drummer Lars B also should get praise for his great performance on the entire album. A church bell (?) chimes in the slow part of the song. It's another amazing song.

Hosanna (4:29) meaning a cry expressing an appeal for divine help. The song is is furious violent extreme aggression perfectly executed. Arioch  or D. "Arioch" Rostén as he call himself in the booklet once again wrote another already classic song.

Pallor Mortis (6:16) the last one on the album is the perfect ending song. It has moments in it that reminds me of the 2 previous albums songs. A frantic child or woman screams in a strange language (Latin?) during the 2 minutes final moments of the song and album. The last song on every Funeral Mist album has always been something special and on Hekatomb it's also a very special song and I'm very pleased with the final song.

8 songs in 43 minutes goes very fast and I’m left wanting more. It’s NOT a complaint I much rather have a superb 43 min experience then a subpar 74 min one. The album is as long as it needs nothing is left by coincidence the placement and pace of every song is perfectly executed. That's my view on Hekatomb as a whole it sounds excellent both the performance by Arioch and Lars B are phenomenal so is the production in the Endarker Studio once again.

The album sounds like how I imagined or dreamed a followup to Maranatha should sound like. Hekatomb is much closer to that album musically then Salvation.

If I had to give it a review rating score it's 10 of 10. The best Black Metal masterpiece I've heard in many many years.

Now for the final question is this better then their previous albums?

Well certainly better then Devilry but I can't say that Hekatomb is better then neither Salvation or my favorite Funeral Mist release Maranatha but its not far away from those two in my opinion.

Even if favorites can change and great albums tends to grow on you. Take for instance Mayhem's masterpiece De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (1994) when I heard it for the first time in the mid 90's I thought it was a great album. But I didn't know that it would become my all time favorite record until years later. When I summarize the year 2018 or if I even do a a re-review of Hekatomb in 3-6 months who knows what I feel about it then?


Have gotten the 2 t-shirts and the poster so here they are: