Liturgy - Origin of the Alimonies Review

 

At this point, Liturgy has become a walking testament to what metal can do. Sure, prog bands might throw a hoe-down breakdown, or incorporate strange instrumentation into their tracks. But Hunter Hunt-Hendrix and company have consistently revolutionized the music landscape time and time again; Releases like The Ark Work and Aesthetica built up major underground credibility for the group while further cementing their experimental blend of black metal and what ever else may fall into the mix. H.A.Q.Q. pushed the bands mainstream popularity (perhaps akin to the major upgrade to production), and took the massive and transcendental sounds to a lengthier and more cinematic approach to the black metal style, and with it a raging symphony that caused ears to both bleed and orgasm courtesy of the sharp and shrieking tones that often accompanied the infamous burst beat. That album dropped just over a year ago, and placed extremely highly on our 'Best Albums of 2019 - A Year In Review,' yet just over a year later, we have another Liturgy album , and with high hopes driving all of our curiosity, we eagerly dive into the mind and philosophy of HHH on Origin of the Alimonies. 

I won't even begin to explain Hunt-Hendrix's philosophies, but it is important to keep the sentiment in mind that Origin of the Alimonies is 'their first album to fully integrate Hunter Hunt-Hendrix's vision of total art, or what she calls Perichoresis.' The concepts in question could probably be sussed out by some deep diving, but I would just recommend checking out HHH's official YouTube channel, where she dives into her philosophy and mental processes in context of the music she has made. In simple terms, Perichoresis is an art that equally represents religion, philosophy and music to make a singular piece of art that both represents and can be used for transcendence. While it may be difficult to grasp the concepts at work here, they are extremely prevalent in the music as a whole, with the entire record boasting a positive aura, while dissonant guitar chords decimate the black metal tracks like "Lonely OIOION" and "Apparition of the Eternal Church." 

Yet you get a little bit of everything on this project, as Liturgy uses their vast instrumental arsenal to its greatest extent. "SIHEYMN's Lament" opens with an electronic trap beat and it actually works well as a transition piece into the black metal that follows on the second half of the cut. Throughout horns and strings enter and blare through the mix, and a surprising djenty section also closes off this song, making this one of the most engaging tracks on the record. Harps, glockenspiels are among other strange instruments that show up on this record, and these truly make the project cinematic (or operatic). It is constantly shifting between high and low tempos, crescendos and decrescendos, and grand instrumental flair to solo performances. OotA is, in this sense, an amazing piece of art, as its vision is clear and composition breathtaking. 

Here, however, comes my issue with this record. While Origins of the Alimonies paints a stunning picture of transcendentalism in an experimental setting, the record feels pretentious. It has every right to be, certainly, as the concepts and ideas here are extremely hard to grasp, but something purely of high concept does not make an album actually listenable. H.A.Q.Q. was an amazing record because of the mind-bending black metal performances that drove the album through its message. Each of the main tracks was followed by an interlude to reflect and prepare for the next, and each performance was incredibly engaging and amazing. Origin of the Alimonies is a good, even great project, but on a song-by-song basis, last year's effort takes the cake.

Liturgy checks so many boxes in what we at PMMetalGuide love in music, and Origin of the Alimonies is yet another example of this. As an artistic statement, this record is one of the best of the year, and maybe ever. Written as a literal opera, the varied compositions explode with interesting aural cacophonies and continue to amaze me with each listen. Although I wish there was some more black metal on the record as a whole, but this record is another testament to the group's talents and HHH's massive brain. 

Final Verdict: "(unintelligible screaming)"

Favorite Tracks: "Apparition of the Eternal Chruch," "SIHEYMN's Lament," "Lonely OIOION"

FFO: Krallice, Jute Gyte, ?