Zornheym – Where Hatred Dwells And Darkness Reigns

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Metal music and classical music have been walking together for a long time. The outcome has been a varied as Metal music these days. The problem is when a band gets so pompous that the pomposity gets more important than strength. Heavy Metal is meant to be powerful, distorced, enigmatic, and imposing. So is classical, but distorced. That’s why this mix works so fine in a controled enviroment.

Zornheym with “Where Hatred Dwells And Darkness Reigns” knew how to have it under strict control. Aggression must come first. Zornheym’s guys were wise enough to respect that. The trick is never to forget that we’re talking about Metal. “Where Hatred Dwells And Darkness Reigns” is a well-balanced orchestral Metal album. Beauty, technalitty, and brutallity are very dosed enough not to one overcome the other. There are nicelly arranged instrumental passages as in “Subjugation of the Cellist,” which is a bridge to the right-in-the-face Metal piece “A Silent God.” That’s Zornheym’s contribution to the Metal world: mixing with lots of ability orchestral themes with brutal music. Zornheym are also very skillful on having instrumental intros to songs. Pretty edgy work.

“Where Hatred Dwells And Darkness Reigns” is an album which uses with lots of success all the grandious atmosphere that orchestras can give to music added to the violence and brutallity that only heavy metal can bare. Zornheym’s intent is to mix them into songs, not splitting into different parts so “Where Hatred Dwells And Darkness Reigns” songs get as grandious as they can be. Again not as easy as one may think. Almost an opera. Thus, in Metal way. Zornheym’s virtue is, again, to keep brutality as a rule.

“Where Hatred Dwells And Darkness Reigns” could be said as a sick piece of opera. Pieces like “Whom The Night Brings” are a slice of a tasteful supper in an opera house. But keep your eyes open… Nobody knows who’s hidden. Zornheym worked  throughout “Where Hatred Dwells And Darkness Reigns” this superb idea. That’s why I’ve always thought operas were scary.

Track Listing:

  1. The Opposed
  2. Subjugation Of The Cellist
  3. A Silent God
  4. Prologue To A Hypnosis
  5. Trifecta Of Horrors
  6. And The Darkness Came Swiftly
  7. Whom The Nights Brings
  8. Decessit Vita Patris
  9. Hestia

Zornheym’s “Where Hatred Dwells And Darkness Reigns” will see the light on September 15th via Non Serviam Records.

Watch “The Opposed” official video here: