Hesperus Dimension

The Cyclothymic Panopticon

Serpene Heli Music 2008

Poland is well known for its death metal and black metal scenes but here is an oddity from far afield in the industrial black metal cacophony that is Hesperus Dimension.  Bringing to mind a mutant hybrid of Dodheims Gard and Thorns the new six song EP from this enigma is an assault on the senses.  The opening track, The Axis of Diagram, breeds wild John Zorn-ish saxophone with dissonant Thorns notes while strange synth passages warp in and out of the song structure.  Apocalyptic drum patterns propel Through Drowsy Daydreams before the song explodes like a distant Supernova with DHG-styled anti-melodic riffing and heavy, industrial pounding drums.  Venturing even further away from black metal is the almost dance-inducing 23 Hands which is a whirlwind of slithering and teleporting electronic sounds and rhythmic drum patterns.  I find the calm and almost dreamy keyboard musings of Immortal Portal Mortal to be a little too out of place on this release and the vocals really do harm to the songs flow.  The final track is a remix by Adon of Axis of Diagram which is unnecessary as the song is completely washed out with a blanket of white noise.  Nahald's vocals are a distorted, abrasive chainsaw scraping away at the mind within the recesses of this constantly shifting mixture.  While not as mindblowing as DHG, Hesperus Dimension are a worthy addition to the industrial black metal scene.  At times they remind me a little too much of DHG but this is a fault I can easily dismiss.