HIDEOUS DIVINITY

Simulacrum CENTURY Media

Italian tech-death virtuosos reach expert level

As they gleefully blur the lines between Lovecraftian grandeur and myopic, knuckleheaded brutality, Hideous Divinity could hardly sound more confident on their third album. Simulacrum sounds huge, with thick surges of cavernous bottom end balancing out the incessant clatter of blasted snares and kicks, but it also sounds permanently on the edge of bestial chaos, H’s shredded roar conveying Satanknows-what with absolute, fiery-eyed conviction. No one is going to condemn

The Embalmer and Bent Until Fracture for lacking vigour or venom, but HD have songwriting chops too; these songs are rich in dynamics, from Anamorphia Atto III’S jarring bursts of portentous ritual doom to

Seed Of Future Horror’s midsong thrash plateau. Death metal connoisseurs can’t afford to skip this fearsome show of strength. ■■■■■■■■■■

FOR FANS OF: Krisiun, Disentomb, Hate Eternal DOM LAWSON