Hierophant
The Weight Of Winter/Autumn Dusk
[Black Beyond]


The mystical affinity, as deep and profound as a man's soul, and with it - the mystery, have been throughout the years the framework of the doom metal 'movement', being first and foremost a momentary peeping or a window, to the artist's inner self, and an exquisite expression of his psych and intellect. As long as there will be a difference between humans, as long as there are whole worlds hiding inside, thus there will remain the hope of meeting those unique doom metal albums, or funeral doom if you prefer, which are so primal, so singular and apart from everything else, a once-only finger print of monumental accomplishment in the realm of dark music, inside are hidden worlds reserved only to the musical art and its creator. And why do I use the term 'creator' in the singular form, you may ask? It is because not only that the Hierophant project is a solo-project, but above that, doom metal is a mental expression need to be externalized by a single person, by one artist, as I see it, although there are some quality doom bands which incorporate several members, so the above mentioned claim is not a rule, but more of a thought, a shot in the dark. As had been claimed by me before, the doom experience is mandatory to be experienced on a single basis, in solitude, behind closed doors, within one's confining walls, and not something to be played at parties, concerts, or being played as a part of some social activity, and that is the way the majority of extreme metal should be regarded, and as long as it concerns me, I practice this theory on a regular basis: You can only rejoice in solitude...Another insight is that doom metal is a musical art reserved only for the elite, executed by the elite of artists and consumed by the elite of listeners, as it should be, and may someone disagree with this claim, it is one's right, but I really believe in that notion. And why is it so, one may ask? Because in a world where our patience is so short and fleeting, where our apathy is engulfing and encompassing every aspect of our lives, true doom metal manages in its magical way, to mesmerize the listener and stir him out of his indifference, and it is rather genius quality being able to bewitch a very bored listener throughout an hour long piece of music, that is regarded as the most hard to swallow of them all...Above that, in a musical world lacking any true identity, in the realm of extreme metal, where it is more important to sound like everybody else than to keep the concept of originality, the doom musicians are the most original of all, simply because they reflect through the music, their soul and mind, which is as original and unique as every other human's, and isn't it really what music is all about, or should be? a subjective, intimate expression of the person, the individual? In those doom albums, do I find that cold and bleak ray of light, the concept of originality made flesh, and self expression, apparently a banal and mundane concept, yet so rare today, is something I find on a regular basis in those gems of extreme music, as if it was a gust of fresh air that constantly blows the stagnant one that is the fate of the ultra saturated and desensitizing so called metal/underground scene...One should own a minimal I.Q. dose and certain amount of self consciousness in order to sit patiently throughout the doom experience and understand it for what it truly is, its qualities and additional values in this world of clones and copycats...To sit and listen in awe, in reverence, and think of issues of higher orders, and in the process get closer to the inner self, and fly...The man behind Hierophant is Mister John Del Russi, a dedicated artist and a multi-talented person, that has established a label dedicated to releasing his numerous projects, the flag ship of which would be Hierophant. The CD-R he has sent me contains about 55 minutes of Hierophant recordings, divided into two MCD's, that could and should be enough a material for a full length album in the future, and the sooner the better, for this music is something that need be recognized by a wider audience, for this is an accomplishment needs to be known and not kept secret. Being free from any commercial commitments, and/or stylistic restraints, Del Russi is able to express his own soul in this monumental piece of funeral doom second to none. I have chosen to write about the two MCD's as a whole, as I really see no point in breaking the music into artificial releases, and as a whole is it a good impression of the project in general and the musician's activities...Del Russi's funeral doom drips with minimalism, and minimal it is indeed, down to the roots, as close as possible to the essence of extreme, anti commercial music, stripped of any unnecessary additional element, simplistic in terms of execution and precisely because of all that - genius. Via somber excursions through long tracks, revolving from 5 to 13 minutes long, the artist manages to express the most epic expressions of metal, as it should be expressed, as far as my understanding goes. In generating a suffocating, thick and crowded atmosphere, through crawling anguished rhythms, manages Del Russi to cast a spell unto the listener, embracing him with that hot and silky air, ethereal, if there ever was one, cover him with dark gray shadows, while delivering a musical dirge from the grave. The minimalism takes form in the usage of the basic set of instruments, leaving behind any redundant addition, with which to color the music in one way or another, never falling into the pomposity trend or any other 'metal' clichés...Del Russi does not need it. In his own masterful way, he incorporates only a dirty down tuned guitar, creeping percussion, sometimes more evident and some of the time barely heard, and with those elements comes his 'special ingredient', a sorrowful, monotonous element that can be either a clean sounding guitar, or bell's chime, or a harp, keyboards or maybe it would be a bass guitar, who knows? Hard to decipher these esoteric yet essential sounds that transcend the music from being barely doom-death, into much more majestic funeral doom...Del Russi's grunts and deep sewer-growling vocals, never decipherable, ever crushing and inhuman, complete the picture and stand as a definite contrast to the celestial ambience reeking of and oozing from the angelic sounds... All of the above, integrated into simple compositions, are genius just because of that: being simple yet hypnotizing to the hilt, and above that - mysterious as only funeral doom can ever be. Now I really come to the full understanding of the concept of 'dark music', if there ever was such a thing, as this is as dark as it gets, the epitome of blackened apocalypse...Many regard the term 'darkness' as a quality owned by their music, many over use this term, until total erosion and lack of true meaning. Well, Hierophant catches the essence of that term, and the musical entity that is Hierophant is just that: Darkness, bleakness, a foreboding shadow...Del Russi has accomplished an enormous achievement and challenged all trendy obstacles in his way towards creating the ultimate funeral doom experience, and his project stands, for me, at the peak on which only the very few elite of these days finest doom bands stand. This music is regarded by me as a gentle giant, a nephilim carrying upon his back the burden of the world and its sorrows, roaring unto the world in his angelic, incoherent tongue, his anguished lament while marching slowly toward the black horizon. Doubtlessly, one of the strongest experiences I have undergone, so rare and so gracefully uplifting me to realms unknown. I am proud of such musicians and human entities, and proud of being one of the very few still able to appreciate such dark a beauty...


© 2002 c. drishner