Review by Saxy S for Blut aus Nord - Hallucinogen (2019)

This a gorgeous sounding atmospheric black metal album that really doubles down on the atmospheric part of its genre definer. The album is called Hallucinogen and it feels like a trip!

For one, the guitar work on this album is a standout. I really like how it is able to effortlessly transition from acting as a melodic instrument to a harmonic one with its tremolo picking patterns. The vocals, while not incredibly great or prominent, do serve their purpose. They feel like an afterthought, but the clean singing sections are sung with a very slow, brooding feel, almost like a religious hymn. The harsh vocals are sparse but effective. The foundation provided by the percussion and bass does its job and emphasizes the low end extremely well. The mixing of the percussion is top notch, not allowing the almost mechanical double bass work to clip in the mixing, while still being prominent enough that you will notice it.

This is a great little project that can be appreciated by many. Definitely one of 2019's sleeper albums IMO.