AZGAAL - Divine Hitman

Opener 'Versipellis' immediately builds a heavy yet melodic wall of sound, pierced by raspy, venomous black metal vocals. Beneath the harsh exterior, subtle melodies and surprisingly effective clean singing repeatedly break through, adding another layer to the composition. Delivered in Naïwyn's native French, the track shifts between mid, and uptempo passages, driven by commanding drums and creative riffing. A doom-laden bridge briefly changes the atmosphere before a deeply yearning solo emerges towards the end, rounding off a varied and compelling opener.

‍

'Dans Les Flammes Du Purgatoire' or 'In the Flames of Purgatory', enters with a hearty riff backed by a thick bass line and subtle melodic elements. The vocals feel perfectly suited to the title, with agonized, throaty screams accompanied by haunting choir-like voices in the background. Despite its raw character, the track maintains a fast and melodic drive, while a short but effective solo during the bridge adds another memorable highlight.

‍

'To The Ice Palace' sees AZGAAL joined by Diman, guitarist of Greek metal band Meden Agan, adding another dimension to the album. A dense wall of sound and melodic riffing begins telling its own story before the vocals even enter, only for sinister screams and a barrage of blistering blast beats to tear through the atmosphere. The contrast between aggressive growls in the verses and clean singing in the chorus almost feels like a battle between light and darkness. Diman's contribution never overpowers AZGAAL's identity, instead adding further layers and depth to an already compelling composition.

A faster and considerably more infectious side of AZGAAL emerges with 'Breaker Of The Tides'. The instrumentation works seamlessly together, with particularly strong guitar work driving the track forward, while the clean vocals once again prove to be one of the album's greatest assets. Above all, the memorable chorus immediately sticks in the mind and gives the song a surprisingly anthemic quality. This is the kind of track that almost demands to be experienced live, surrounded by raised fists and voices joining in.

‍

A raw, distinctly '90s-inspired riff greets the listener on 'The Bewitched Souls', soon surrounded by ominous and eerie melodic textures. Commanding drums keep the composition moving forward, while heavier, more dragging passages repeatedly pull it back into darker territory. The vocals take on an almost narrative role, adding a storytelling quality that fits the changing pace remarkably well. Particularly effective is a barely decipherable, demon-like whisper lurking within the composition, adding another unsettling layer. Strong songwriting and well-placed details make this one of the more intriguing tracks on the album. 

‍

With 'The Occultist Error', "Divine Hitman" reaches a fitting conclusion and gives Naïwyn one final opportunity to showcase his versatility as a musician. Epic melodies and strong guitar work provide the foundation, while the contrast between harsh vocals and tender clean singing once again becomes a defining element of the composition. Varied songwriting keeps the track engaging throughout most of its runtime and brings together many of the qualities that have shaped the album along the way. A powerful and fitting end to an intriguing journey.

‍

With "Divine Hitman", AZGAAL delivers a dark and compelling journey that balances raw black metal aggression with melodic depth and an unmistakable occult atmosphere. The contrast between venomous harsh vocals and haunting clean passages becomes one of the album's greatest strengths, while creative guitar work and varied songwriting keep things engaging throughout. A powerful release that showcases Naïwyn's versatility and gives Divine Hitman an identity of its own.

‍

SCORE 8.5/10

REVIEWED BY SWAMPY