I think there is a correlation between how people like their coffee and like their black metal. Some folks like straight up raw black metal, and I don’t suspect they prefer lattes. Similarly, those that like sweet coffee-type drinks might tend toward the dreamy melodic post blackgaze where the synths overwhelm the telltale tremolo guitars and the blast beats are only a pulse. For me, no style is better or worse, however I tend to gravitate toward the atmospheric in my black metal, same sort of style that Hesychast dishes out. The more otherworldly, the better.

Hesychast was first conceived as a solo unblack metal project called Vikarbyrgi back in 2007. Ethan Boyd was the sole artist until Scott joined the band a little later. They released a couple of songs on MySpace that made it onto a couple of compilation albums. In 2011, they changed their name to Hesychast with a clear signal to Eastern Orthodox spirituality. Hesychasm alludes to a monastic tradition that focuses on stillness and uninterrupted prayer, such as the recitation of the Jesus Prayer within every breath. How does this and black metal mix? Their debut album “Ageless” was pretty well-received and although the album was not a statement on Hesychasm, it brought forth a contemplative black metal that sets as prayerful an atmosphere as you could with a black metal genre.

“For Whom We Sing New Troparia” continues that tradition and improves on it. More than “Ageless,” there is a timeless atmosphere to the music that transcends merely setting a mood, not unlike an icon that shows a reality beyond the image. As such, the razor sharp guitars and blast beats are more subdued with subtle and oddly catchy melodies floating on synths. The use of folk-inspired rhythms and scales adds to this otherworldly feel. It is an album that is to be experienced.

The bones of the songs are in a traditional black metal style where a single riff or short chord progression drives the main sections of songs. It is kept engaging through changing drum rhythms and layers of instruments shifting over time. Various breaks in the song allow for a melody to come through or to create an ambient atmosphere before turning back on the black metal machine. The transitions within the songs feel organic and purposeful, however song forms feel linear, not always returning to musical ideas as I would expect.

The lyrics are mystical and allegorical. For instance, “The Sixth Hour” uses the imagery of Christ being crucified in the sixth hour (around noon) to the madness of the world today. What will happen in the ninth hour, the hour when Christ gave his last breath? The themes tend to rail against the philosophical underpinnings of the modern world and how it has estranged us to Christ, but instead of a fueling a desire for destruction of the world, the lyrics point to a transformation through Christ.

However, it is hard (at least for me) to get that from listening as the dominant vocal style is an intense raspy blackened shouting, which lands right where the intensity is driven by an indignation. Although this is the dominant vocal style, backing choirs are used throughout hearkening to a long forgotten monastery. Folk-inspired rhythms and melodies are used to further bolster this otherworldliness beyond the standard black metal record. The melodies and harmonies have a subtlety making the songs like musical icons, like looking into a world beyond.

Each song has its own character from the epic “The Sixth Hour” and the more blackened “Idols,” but I find myself seeking the interesting ear candy along the way such as the beautiful backing choir in “Deir ez-Zor.” I also really enjoy the bouncy notes in “The Proof” and its use of 6/4 meter making for a rhythm that keeps the song moving forward. On the back end, I really enjoy the recurring leads in “Streams” that embodies that yearning that I find as an underpinning to the entire album.

This album is definitely a step forward for the band, and an improvement from “Ageless.” There is deeper emotional character and musical imagery present in creating their unique form of atmospheric black metal. It is not just music, but a statement of faith. I have read rumblings that they may be working on a third album already and here is hoping that it takes (a lot) less than 9 years to get another release. In the meantime, I highly recommend “To Whom…” to anyone who enjoys atmospheric black metal and/or deeply spiritual themes within their music.

Rating: 9.0/10

Written by Sean Bailey

Tracklist
1 – O Bride Unwedded
2 – The Sixth Hour
3 – Deir ez-Zor
4 – The Proof
5 – Idols
6 – Streams
7 – When Your Well Is Dry

Hesychast is Ethan And Scott

Guest:
John Becker –violins on “Streams”

Release Date: February 23, 2025

Record Label: Independent

Discography:
Ageless (2016) [review]
For Whom We Sing New Troparia (2025)

Social Media: Facebook | YouTube | Spotify | Bandcamp

Lyric Video for The Sixth Hour