Hexer (Realm Of The Feathered Serpent)
Crank this to 8.6 of 11
Released: 2014
Genre: Doom, Metal
Sounds Like: High on Fire, Conan, Monolord
Hexer’s second release entitled Realm of the Feathered Serpent infuses a fuller sound despite the band pairing down from 5 members to 3. Swapping out the bass for some heavy laden synthesizer fortitude actually works well. The synth is rich and deep supplying a very dark deep bass undercurrent. The German natives continue their sci-fi haze with 5 full bodied tracks and a short interlude. Hexer blends ancient cryptic interpretations of the Aztec empire with much frenzied and perhaps not so mythical stories of science fiction and astrology.
Overall the album does an excellent job with driving melodies and dramatic contrast. Marvin infuses a boatload of variety and dept to his vocal performance. Angst and course layers give way to some very pensive angles. Ultimately the band’s ability to dive deep into doom confines along with overcast black metal makes for an entertaining ride.
Track Listing:
1. Ethereal Blitz (7:30)
2. Jaguar Knight (7:20)
3. River of Blood (7:41)
4. Miasmic (:46)
5. Celestial War Command (8:37)
6. Typhon (6:45)
Standout Track:
"Celestial War Command" blew us away on first rotation. The track is loaded with rich melodies and takes an interesting twist into viking-like quality at the tail-end. We appreciate how the track builds and morphs into very subtle ancient realms with distant string instruments beckoning in the backdrop. The synthesizer work on this track are very different and really takes ahold midway through culmination. Melvin shines bright on this track with an absolute whirlwind of impressive symbol use and vision.
Adult Beverage Pairing:
Stone Xocoveza Mocha Stout- California- Specialty Beer- 8. 1% ABV. We highly recommend this blend with Hexer’s ROTFS.A spiced milk stout. Pours an opaque black. Infused with chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, chile pepper and coffee to mimic the flavors of Mexican hot chocolate. Thick and pensive much akin to the trio’s sound.
ROTATION RECAP:
Captivation and Variety
8.3 out of 11
Vocal Prowess
8.7 out of 11
Weight of the Heavy
8.5out of 11
Fretwork Prowess
8.4 out of 11
Percussive Vision
8.8out of 11
Originality
8.5 out of 11
Overall Album Flow
8.5 out of 11
Contrast
8.4 out of 11
Album Cover Aesthetics
9.6 out of 11
Production Value
8.4 out of 11
Final Thoughts:
Yes the album art on Realm Of The Feathered Serpent could be a contender for best of the year. Kudos to Mariusz Lewandowski and the landscape of ˈNina, Pinta, Santa Mariaˈ. We were quite impressed with Hexer’s sophomore release. While we do see quite a few consistencies in style with their 2017 debut Cosmic Doom Ritual, Realm of the Feathered Serpent is a step above. Grab both and infuse them into your doom metal collection.
Follow Hexer: Bandcamp / Facebook
