Missed Album Review: Hypno5e – Sheol

Style: Progressive Sludge Metal, Post-Metal (mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: The Ocean, Gojira, Vildhjarta
Review by: Cooper
Country: France
Release date: 24 February, 2023

Ever since I first was hypnotized by the 2016 masterpiece that was Hypno5e’s Shores of the Abstract Line, I have been something of a fanatic for the boundary-pushing Frenchmen. Formed in 2003 by Emmanual Jessua, now the only remaining original member, Hypno5e’s studio outputs tell a story of gradual, ever-upwards progression. After their debut release of Des deux l’une est l’autre in 2007, they found what I would consider to be their core sound on their third release Acid Mist Tomorrow: a mix of post-metal-esque exercises in tension and release, utterly inventive breakdowns that just edge towards djent (perhaps as a result of convergent evolution as opposed to direct inspiration, though), and haunting spoken word samples. After the release of AMT, Hypno5e entered what I would consider to be their golden period with the releases of the already mentioned Shores of the Abstract Line, the acoustic tinged soundtrack of Alba – Les ombres errantes, and my personal favorite album of theirs, A Distant (Dark) Source.

After the release of AD(D)S, though, Hypno5e was shaken by a lineup change that saw the exit of long term bassist Cédric “Gredin” Pages and drummer Théo Begue who had both been with the band through many albums. As a result, Charles Villanueva and Pierre Rettien were taken on, and they now comprise the rhythm section we hear on Sheol, the band’s most recent release. To many the lineup change will be unnoticeable, after all the main creative force behind Hypno5e, vocalist/guitarist Emmanual Jessua, is still doing his thing, but to the more astute the changes are obvious, especially on the drums.

Where Begue was a drummer characterized by his liberal use of double bass drumming that could elevate heavy moments to stratospheric levels of intensity, Rettien seems to have a couple more tricks up his sleeve. The blisteringly heavy and complex moments are still there during the breakdowns of tracks like “Lava from the Sky”, “The Dreamer and his Dream”, and the utterly magnificent title track, but these moments are juxtaposed against things like the wide open drum “solo” during the second half of “Sheol, Pt. II” and the mesmerizing beats that bring home the intro section of “Bone Dust”. At some points, I find myself reminded of marching band drum lines and the fragmented drum fills that can seemingly only be performed by ten or so musicians, yet are performed here by just one man and his drum kit. Sheol, simply put is masterclass in progressive metal drumming.

As for the other elements of Sheol, they are exactly what I have come to expect from Hypno5e. The multitudinous guitar tracks of acoustic and electric variety provide ample texture to both the heavier and lighter moments on this album with “Tauca” especially being a great example of gorgeous acoustic guitar textures despite being a generally weaker track overall. Additionally, as a gear nerd myself, I must commend the ample, yet still subtle, use of guitar effects from the shimmering delay that accentuates the album’s opening guitar lines to the detuned, warped vinyl sound that we hear on the closer’s first part. The vocals, which may be a turn off for some first time listeners due to their unique inflections when clean and their mushiness when harsh, are–at least by Hypno5e standards–solid; Jessua is no songbird, but he brings enough emotion and melodic hooks to get by. The spoken word samples, while much rarer on Sheol than previous releases and often in English as well, always hit their mark, and the orchestral elements, be it the the strings often used in the introductions or the occasional reed instrument such as found on “The Dreamer and His Dream”, are all quite engrossing, especially thanks to their powerful production. In fact, the production in general on this album is quite well done; at several moments over the course of my many listens, I found myself holding my breath as the song was pared down to its core elements before my very ears, each layer removed revealing more complexities that were hidden beneath. I just wish that the dynamic range was larger so that these moments could have been even more poignant.

I said earlier that the story of Hypno5e was one of gradual, ever-upwards progression ultimately culminating in the band’s previous three releases which I have referred to as their golden period. As I have listened to Sheol over the course of this past year, I have considered carefully where I would place it amongst the band’s gleaming back catalog. On one hand it remains true to the core sound established by its predecessors, but on the other–primarily thanks to the addition of new members–it is the freshest Hypno5e album in about ten years. So while I still think A Distant (Dark) Source is their magnum opus, Sheol certainly ranks amongst the other top golden period albums. For fans of Hypno5e there will be moments on this album that you adore, and there may be others which you despise. Ultimately though, it is the next gradual step Hypno5e has taken on their evolutionary journey, and I know that I will keep listening, in wait for whatever they have in store for us next.

Recommended tracks: Sheol, Lava from the Sky
You may also like: Psychonaut, The Salt Pale Collective
Final verdict: 8.5/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Label: Pelagic Records – Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Website

Hypno5e is:
– Emmanuel Jessua (vocals, guitars)
– Jonathan Maurois (guitars)
– Pierre Rettien (drums)
– Charles Villanueva (bass)