Liturgy – H.A.Q.Q.

Now, I haven’t been much of a Metal fan since I started making music one of my active hobbies, but recently I’ve been giving it more of a chance, at least the kind of Metal I know I would like. Up until now I would give Avant-Garde Metal the most attention mainly because of my love for it’s near Pop counterparts in Art Pop with it’s wild eccentricities. Avant-Garde Metal just spews creativity just as much as I hear it from Art Pop and I can thank Imperial Truimphant’s Vile Luxury for exciting my interest in the Metal sub genre. With that out of the way it’s no surprise that I present an Avant-Garde Metal album and while I still have more to write to this I would say that this would be my favorite Metal album from 2019. Aside from the experimental sounds of Avant-Garde lies the undertones of Black Metal that it employs, which can be most noted from the screams and growls in multiple songs. Another interesting takeaway from the album is the use of Glitch in the album and it’s used pretty sparingly in my opinion but it adds so much texture to the songs giving it a nice technical touch, and of course something I don’t think is too out of the way for Black Metal is the use of Modern Classical sounds in this album employed mostly by a piano.

To kick things off is the transcending first track, HAJJ, which comes in with a glitchy static then an ear pounding drumming rush – a great start to the album already. Everything employed in this one song is a taste to come throughout the album as the Glitch comes in and out through the track and the experimental Black Metal comes through with guitar riffs that ascend and descent, and what I believe to be some kind of transcending operatic voice. Really, nothing disappoints in the first track, just pure bliss of sounds colliding and meshing. The following track is EXACO I and it’s the first of 3 tracks in the album that feature a mostly Modern Classical sound. EXACO I, features piano with Glitch and while the track doesn’t feature much Metal, it honestly can be put into a Classical playlist and you probably wouldn’t notice the difference. It’s not the most original track in the Modern Classical style but paired together with the nicely placed Glitch, it gives enough texture to the ear to satisfy with it’s fast escalating sounds. The third track in the album is VIRGINITY and it opens with a beautiful harp before quickly transitioning into a Post-Metal guitar, though the harp is still employed within the track at times. The orchestral vocals are also more prominent in this track and build up towards the end of the track and so far through the track listing I can’t say anything bad about the songs. The next track is PASAQALIA and it inquires a bit of a lighter tone from the instrumentals than something like HAJJ which is ear pounding and you can infer that from the slight Xylophone tones. The only thing loud is the drums on production but that’s to be expected from something like Black Metal and it keeps the energy up while keeping to a lighter composition with it’s angelic guitars and Xylophone. EXACO II follows PASAQALIA and it may just seem like some kind of interlude as it comes in an atmospheric package of paced bells and some kind of Black Metal chanting towards the end but it’s a nice establishing point in the album to pace things out. Following suit is GOD OF LOVE, the only single from the album and while it opens with a somber violin passage it doesn’t take long before it smacks you right in the face. Drums exploding and guitars coiling as your ears are assaulted with the immense love of God. The hardest hitting track in the listing so far, without a doubt and again there are so many sounds in this 8 minute track that make it so unique and creative. Listening closely may be hard as it’s loud and conquering but there are little thing to pick out from the instrumentals that leave a euphoric feeling. And halfway through the track in breaks into a nice little coercion of Avant-Garde guitars and melodic vocals, then slipping into Black Metal screams and pounding drums and back to the tranquil Avant-Garde melody before ending with a harp backing. Truly a track to behold but onward is the last of the Classical trilogy, EXACO III. Jumping piano keys with glitch that gets heavier towards the end, nothing special but something worth listening to. Now we’ve come onto the title track, HAQQ, which I suppose may elude to the Glitch influence on the album. HAQQ is sporting the third longest run time at 7 minutes and just like HAJJ and GOD OF LOVE, it’s something to get lost in. Halfway through it breaks into a nice guitar passage that’s quite refreshing while still being accompanied by the usual sounds undertaken in the album. I think this may be the most experimental song in the bunch and it really is fun to listen to. Now, last but not least is, …., which sports an odd name but may be suiting as the ending track of the album and it’s very soft volume levels as if its compressed. The track is mostly soft guitar riffing but in my eyes in makes sense right after something as hard as HAQQ and it’s nice after you’ve gone deaf from listening to the album.

This album has really opened up the Metal rabbit hole for me as I’ve looked more into whats been catching wind this year in Metal and I don’t think I’ll be letting up my listening anytime soon. I can only be grateful for such an amazing album to have graced my ears and I hope you can hear the same.