CoC : Hefeystos - Vilce Sjen : Review

Hefeystos - _Vilce Sjen_
(Wounded Love Records, 1997)
by: Drew Snow (8 out of 10)

Another in the growing ranks of mid-paced, heavily folk-influenced, keyboard-laden black metal, Hefeystos have one separation from the rest. Despite the trite picture of the band in the forest with axes, and the obvious Norwegian trademarks, Hefeystos are actually from Poland. Of course, that doesn't mean they can't play this style of music well; actually, on the contrary, _Vilce Sjen_ is a decent release, succeeding in its goal of being majestic and atmospheric, but there's still room for improvement in a couple of areas. First, and most easily fixed, is the length of the album. _VS_ is only 11 minutes, with a paltry two songs. I know this is a first release, but two songs? Granted, they're both good efforts, but still. Second is the musicianship. The compositions here are extremely simplistic. This doesn't detract -that- much from the experience, but a little skillful playing can go a long way, for sure. _VS_ is not without its good points, however. The vocals, a rather-high pitched, extremely throaty shrieking, are decent enough, and the Satyricon-esque groaning is certainly cool. The majestic, emotional sounding keys are a highlight, too. Hefeystos have produced a fine first effort, though it's too bad it's over so fast. Still, though, at a reduced price at most distros ($7 or $8), give it a try.

(article published 16/3/1997)