HIERONYMUS BOSCH

Getting acquainted with any promo starts with evaluating the artwork and the thickness of the booklet. Well, those elements alone were enough to spark serious interest in this work by the russian techno-death outfit. A 28(!!!)-page booklet filled with complex, challenging imagery. "The Human Abstract" is not a new release -- it was recorded at Aria Records studio in 1995, with none other than prominent figures of the domestic metal Olympus Vitaly Dubinin and Vladimir Kholstinin serving as producers. The band was originally called BOSCH, but apparently the appliance manufacturer got in touch and insisted on a name change. The moniker was simply supplemented with the name HIERONYMUS, since the band was indeed named after the Dutch painter HIERONYMUS BOSCH. The first 15 minutes of the disc conjured a single thought in my mind: "EMPEROR!" But the rest of the album is occupied by different music entirely. This is intricately constructed technical death metal. Fans of the style will find all their beloved treats: labyrinthine riff structures, angular guitars, superb solos, and melodicism (within certain boundaries). The recording quality is top-notch. You can clearly distinguish every instrument. Those who particularly enjoy hearing the bass guitar prominently in the mix will be pleased as well. An absolute must-have, especially considering it comes from our own backyard.