HIEMS returns with a haunting album ‘Stranger In A Wasteland’
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Jun 17, 2023
After a long silence, the one-man Italian avant-garde black metal project HIEMS is ready to unleash a dark storm with its third studio album, ‘Stranger In A Wasteland’. Scheduled to be released on September 8th via Agonia Records, this is HIEMS' first release since 2009 and showcases the dark artistry of Alessandro ‘Algol’ Comerio, the man behind the band. ‘Stranger In A Wasteland’ captures the dismal feelings of alienation and detachment and translates them into an unsettling, minimalistic black metal experience infused with hard rock elements and sinister grooves.
Recorded during lockdown, the music in ‘Stranger In A Wasteland’ is a testament to the artist's confidence and growth. With a much clearer and refined production compared to its 2009 predecessor ‘Worship or Die’, the album brings forth commanding vocals, the weightiness of guitars, and a sharpened overall listening experience. The thematic elements of death and not belonging are intricately woven into both the music and lyrics of the album, making it an audial representation of the desolation and isolation felt by many. HIEMS has indeed carved a niche with its unique blend of black metal and this album is bound to captivate the audience with its menacing and dark aura.
“It’s been a long time since the last Hiems record,” recalls Comerio. “I’ve always continued to write material, but only when the pandemic gave me some free time was I able to gather the songs written in the past years and shape them. I chose the name of the record to highlight the song that is the best representation of my vision of life and the current world. I feel like a stranger wherever I go. I can’t find any religion or philosophy with which I can completely agree, and today’s world seems to me a wasteland; destroyed and forgotten. So yeah, I do feel like a stranger in a wasteland. It’s about not belonging to any creed or flag. To follow your own path, even if it leads to loneliness. Regarding the production, I’m a sound maniac. I spent days and days in the studio, searching for the sound I had in mind. I wanted the record to sound different from actual ‘plastic’ metal, so I chose not to use triggers or artificial reverbs and go completely old school.”
“Stranger in a Wasteland” was recorded at Elfo Studio (Forgotten Tomb), engineered by Daniele Mandelli and mixed and produced by Daniele Mandelli and Alessandro “Algol” Comerio. The album was mastered at La Maestà Studio (Muse) by Giovanni Versari and comes with artwork by Adam Burke (Solstafir, Enforcer). Layout illustrations (medieval engravings) were provided by Davide Schileo. Guest appearances include Gabriel Minuta (guest guitars), Paolo Apollo Negri (guest hammond organs) and Elisabetta Marchetti (guest vocals).
Share on Facebook
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Jun 17, 2023
After a long silence, the one-man Italian avant-garde black metal project HIEMS is ready to unleash a dark storm with its third studio album, ‘Stranger In A Wasteland’. Scheduled to be released on September 8th via Agonia Records, this is HIEMS' first release since 2009 and showcases the dark artistry of Alessandro ‘Algol’ Comerio, the man behind the band. ‘Stranger In A Wasteland’ captures the dismal feelings of alienation and detachment and translates them into an unsettling, minimalistic black metal experience infused with hard rock elements and sinister grooves.
Recorded during lockdown, the music in ‘Stranger In A Wasteland’ is a testament to the artist's confidence and growth. With a much clearer and refined production compared to its 2009 predecessor ‘Worship or Die’, the album brings forth commanding vocals, the weightiness of guitars, and a sharpened overall listening experience. The thematic elements of death and not belonging are intricately woven into both the music and lyrics of the album, making it an audial representation of the desolation and isolation felt by many. HIEMS has indeed carved a niche with its unique blend of black metal and this album is bound to captivate the audience with its menacing and dark aura.
“It’s been a long time since the last Hiems record,” recalls Comerio. “I’ve always continued to write material, but only when the pandemic gave me some free time was I able to gather the songs written in the past years and shape them. I chose the name of the record to highlight the song that is the best representation of my vision of life and the current world. I feel like a stranger wherever I go. I can’t find any religion or philosophy with which I can completely agree, and today’s world seems to me a wasteland; destroyed and forgotten. So yeah, I do feel like a stranger in a wasteland. It’s about not belonging to any creed or flag. To follow your own path, even if it leads to loneliness. Regarding the production, I’m a sound maniac. I spent days and days in the studio, searching for the sound I had in mind. I wanted the record to sound different from actual ‘plastic’ metal, so I chose not to use triggers or artificial reverbs and go completely old school.”
“Stranger in a Wasteland” was recorded at Elfo Studio (Forgotten Tomb), engineered by Daniele Mandelli and mixed and produced by Daniele Mandelli and Alessandro “Algol” Comerio. The album was mastered at La Maestà Studio (Muse) by Giovanni Versari and comes with artwork by Adam Burke (Solstafir, Enforcer). Layout illustrations (medieval engravings) were provided by Davide Schileo. Guest appearances include Gabriel Minuta (guest guitars), Paolo Apollo Negri (guest hammond organs) and Elisabetta Marchetti (guest vocals).
