Fourteen years in the band’s existence, Finnish’s death doom masters Hooded Menace have made incredible albums throughout the years they have formed in their home country in Finland. I first got introduced to Hooded Menace around 2012 with the album Effigies of Evil and as someone who loves a fair share of death doom metal bands, the album was one of the reasons I became fascinated with the genre. Now three years later prior to their album in 2018 being Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed, The Tritonus Bell is the sixth studio full-length album and is released through the label Season Of Mist.
This album here is another demonstration and the latest chapter for these musicians as they’ve combined death metal structures and usual, rotten doom metal-esque atmosphere with their distinctive flavorings of macabre death doom signatures. The incorporation of death metal instrumentals is their element of surprise as these guys demonstrated their own appreciative style to make this album extremely engaging. From tracks such as Those Who Absorb the Night, Instruments of Somber Finality and the opening to Chthonic Exordium, this 43 minute album takes its toll on a magical, atmospheric and when there’s movement for death doom, Hooded Menace does it so naturally.
Musically, this album has influential vibes from Bloodbath and Candlemass as the songs definitely pack a punch while displaying mastery incorporating skull shattering elements of mid-paced and melodic death metal arrangements. Hooded Menace not only nailed the album aesthetically but the everlasting consistency is the band’s most matured and organic material they’ve done in well over a decade this band been together. The Tritonus Bell is not only a true return to form for these Finnish musicians but this is a must for any death doom metal fans to get a philosophical sense what they’re going into the underground scene.
Overall Score: 9.0/10
Review by Jake Butler
