Review by Saxy S for Hypno5e - Sheol (2023)

Sheol by Hypno5e is one of those albums that feels really easy to digest and welcome in to the new wave of progressive metal, but hidden beneath a thin veil of post-metal texture is a record that has a lot more to say than you may anticipate. This record has a gorgeous feel to it and songs are well constructed and executed. I really enjoyed the 2nd parts of both "Sheol" and "Slow Streams of Darkness"; even though both tracks have a lot of girth to them as big boy progressive metal tunes, everything sounds like it belongs together and is highlighted by a great dichotomy of sound. The post-rock and atmospheric portions make a big impact and when those heavy Gojira inspired heavy breaks hit, they have such a force to them that is just the kind of breakdown that I like to hear.

However, there are a handful of smaller tracks that connect these two part suites together and that seems to be where the album is at its weakest. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy "Lave from the Sky" and "The Dreamer and His Dream", but without the same attention to dynamic growth and complete songwriting, they do sound a little bit off. They do make for great individual tracks, but as part of a whole album, they feel less than involved and drag out the runtime by just a bit too much.

Hypno5e are doing great work with the progressive metal they make and are more than capable of carrying the torch that Gojira left when they became more accessible in recent years. But without any truly defining feature, this band is bound to fall into the purgatory of Opeth/Gojira imitators. 

Best Songs: Sheol, Pt. II - Lands of Haze, Lava from the Sky, The Dreamer and His Dream