This is metal coming to life in 2020.
Compared to the band’s first outing, Breach Us is more energetic and more to the point, according to Ole and Markus:
“Following the release of SÂVER’s debut LP, and as a natural continuation of HYMN’s previous effort, the idea of approaching our sonic toolbox with sheer, uncompromising force was instinctively satisfying. We wanted a space where we could cut things to the bone and go straight to the core; to the raw, honest and brutal”.
On “Crimson”, Hymn expand into more psychedelic territory with guest David Johansson of Swedish doom-masters Kongh on vocals, before the album’s final track “Can I carry you” sees the band teaming up with Guro Moe of noise-rockers MoE to explore new worlds of sonic adventure; by far their most ambitious, piece of music so far.
“The final track was partially written as part of a commissioned gig for the 1920 silent film, Prästänkan. Apart from this, the album is pretty much a result of what occurred in an intense writing period during the summer and fall of 2019. In that sense the majority of the album is very much a documentation of our state at that time.”
“Our goal at Amper Tone Studio was to set things up basically as we do on live shows. Facing each other, Marshall JCM 800 and Simms Watts 120 in stereo and a Ampeg 810 stack on full blast. Gibson Les Paul with 74 gauge strings and a couple of fun effect pedals and we are ready to go. We don't want to record anything that we can't perform live, but of course, we always get inspired during the recording process and “shit happens”. That is what makes this band special to us; with only two people there is always room for quick turn-arounds and improvisation. We ended up recording the whole thing in about 48 hours."
Recorded and mixed by Kim Lillestøl at Amper Tone Studios in Oslo, “Breach Us” is a gargantuan tour de force and a testament to man’s will to exert dicipline and human direction to the universal powers of chaos. The duo’s trademark unpredictable riffing, otherworldly power and siamese precision will exalt the daring listener through focus and confusion, craftmanship and chaos, sucking up the sludgy tradition through their roots and branching up into metal’s unknowable future. “Breach us” is metal coming to life in 2020.