Album Review: Sunniva – Hypostasis (Svart Records)

Turku-based sludge metal force Sunniva will release their debut album “Hypostasis’ on 19th September (Svart Records). An album that challenges the illusions of progress and freedom in the modern age.

Come, wallow, if you dare.

It might be their debut album release, but for almost a decade (they formed in 2016), Sunniva have built themselves one hell of a reputation for creating murky, oppressive, genre-bending music that sits squarely on the heavy and sludgy side of things. Music that you sink into, music that wraps around the mind like a death shroud, and music that you can feel in the pit of your soul. Sunniva’s sound is one based in misery, but with an unflinchingly honest focus. Its music defined by how heavy it is, from both an instrumental and vocal perspective, but it’s the weight of the sludge that really leaves a mark.

Putting it simply, it’s harsh and horrible, but also beautiful and immersive. A spectacular combination of heavy noise that is evident from the start with Mercurial Bloodstreams. A powerful and thick listen that oozes blackened intensity, setting a high creative bar, especially as it develops in more progressive ways.

It, like so much of the album, challenges but that comes with a ton of excitement too as Sunniva sound wholly unique when they’re letting a rumbling and grumbling level of sludge dominate as they do on Peine Forte Et Dure. A track with layers of heaviness and darkness, and a track that even ends up exploring more melodic tones, in expected unusual fashion.

Then there is Valoaltimo, a track with drama infused into it. The drums are weighty, the riffs are serrated, and the vocals howl in demonic fashion. Of course, there is so much more to it too, and it’s easily one of the more atmospheric, eccentric, and ambitious sounding efforts of all. It is the kind of brilliance a person doesn’t forget anytime soon, but that also applies to something like Opening the Key and its uncompromising doom/sludge combo. As severe as it gets, but bloody hell is it special.

Finally, it’s Sun Funeral and Hung from the Sky, with the former laying a dark and cold atmosphere on thickly, while also having the heaviest and fuzziest of guitars. The ending, with the clean singing and haunting effects, is particularly special too. Whereas the latter is a spectacle of progressive sludge, post-infused heaviness, and destructive potency. At least until the final minute and a half which is an ending so unexpected, in the best way, that it doesn’t deserve to be spoiled. Let’s just say that it buoys the mind, body, and soul.

Not that it’s needed, but the more uplifting end is welcome, as the rest of the album is so dark, desperate and diabolically heavy. A joy to experience, and one that has a richness that only gets stronger the more you listen to it, but an album that takes its toll too.

Sunniva – Hypostasis Track Listing:

1. Mercurial Bloodstreams
2. Peine Forte Et Dure
3. Valovaltimo
4. Opening the Key
5. Sun Funeral
6. Hung from the Sky

Links

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