Top Bar
Musique Machine Logo Home ButtonReviews ButtonArticles ButtonBand Specials ButtonAbout Us Button
SearchGo Down
Search for  
With search mode in section(s)
And sort the results by
show articles written by  
 Review archive:  # a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Hrizg - Individualism [Moribund - 2014]

Hrizg is a name I’ve seen thrown around a fair bit on YouTube, Facebook, forums, etc. so I’m actually pretty surprised that Individualism is only Hrizg’s third album. Like the album title would suggest, Hrizg is a one man band. Not a huge fan of one man black metal, I approached Individualism with a large amount of caution, which was totally unnecessary as the album is an easily digestible piece of black metal.

Instead of opting for the incredibly simplistic Burzum (which I totally expected. C’mon, look at that noose on the album cover!) or Darkthrone worship that one man black metal bands typically go for, Hrizg’s approach is a bit more complex. That’s not to say that the album deviates from the mold of second wave, Norwegian black metal, but it does manage to sound more sophisticated and mature than many other bands. Sure, it does have hate-fueled tremolo riffs, spiteful rasps, and blast beats, but it switches things up enough to keep the album interesting. “No Life After Life” showcase some of these moments I’m talking about. Despite being a totally by-the-books black metal track in the riffing department, it actually shows some degree of creativity with the drums, which are what drive the track forward and give it a great sense of pace. The solitary guitar riff and the inclusion of a choir on “The Hall of Falseness and Impurity” make for the highlight of the album, but the whole thing is abnormally good and easy to dig into for a solo project.

The short runtime (just forty minutes) no doubt contributes to how easy it is to listen to Individualism in just one sitting, but a strong songwriting sense is key. Not every riff is a homerun, but the songs transition and flow brilliantly. Individualism isn’t something I’m going to reach for when I’m driving or reading a book, but as something to sit down and digest it’s pretty great.

Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5

Tyler L.
Latest Reviews

Hrizg - Individualism
Hrizg is a name I’ve seen thrown around a fair bit on YouTube, Facebook, forums, etc. so I’m actually pretty surprised that Individualism is only Hrizg’s thi...
290324   Piranha - Piranha(DVD)
280324   Typhoon Club - Typhoon Club(B...
270324   Jerzy Skolimowski Collection ...
260324   Latex Choker - Sealed
260324   Occlusion - 59: No Input Wall
260324   Nihil Impvlse - Anabasis
260324   Marta Forsberg - Sjunger För...
260324   The New Boy - The New Boy( Th...
250324   The Stargazer’s Assistant - ...
250324   Liza Lim - Annunciation Trip...
Latest Articles

The Music of Clay Ruby & Burial H...
Over the last couple of decades Wisconsin native, Clay Ruby has been creating some of the world’s finest dark electronic music under the Burial Hex mon...
280324   The Music of Clay Ruby & Buri...
290224   Sutcliffe No More - Normal Ev...
100124   Occlusion - The Operation Is...
181223   Best Of 2023 - Music, Sound &...
051223   Powerhouse Films - Of Magic, ...
181023   IO - Of Sound, Of Art, Of Exp...
210923   Lucky Cerruti - Of Not so Fri...
290823   The Residents - The Trouble W...
110723   Yotzeret Sheydim Interview - ...
250523   TenHornedBeast - Into The Dee...
Go Up
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2023. Twenty two years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=comBottom