M Elliot
It is rare to come across such a quintessential example of atmospheric black metal. The riffs are fantastic. The production is fitting. And the track lengths just right. Often I will measure the quality of an album based on how many days in a row I have listened to the album. I am up to 25 days, with multiple listens a day. That is not set to change any time soon. Do yourself a favor: leave this on in the background, filling the void of silence. See if it catches your ear, too.
Favorite track: Les Martiens étaient là....
DrooSpencerShay
Really unique and inspiring black metal album. Not malevolent and not uplifting, but mysterious and murky. Feels like the black metal equivalent of the last 10 minutes of 2001 A Space Odyssey
Favorite track: Les Martiens étaient là....
“This space-like atmosphere is then blended with killer shredding, sweet beats and cripplingly despairing vocals to make what may be, quite possibly, the best shit to get weird to. […] It is lo-fi as fuck, and super gritty, but at the same time there is this endless beautiful and warm quality that wraps itself around and echos into each wave of audio that is emitted from the speakers while listen. It is a truly strange and gorgeous work of audial art.” – CVLT Nation
“By striking a near-perfect balance between bouts of bludgeoning, serrated guitars and moody ambience, it invokes both the tranquility and harshness of the vacuum of space. The music is as abrasive and claustrophobic as it is strangely beautiful and vast, and it is this contrast that marks Hellébore as such a unique entity within the confines of the genre.” – That's How Kids Die
“There is a lot of crushing and black metal rage that might make you think of the early days of the Second Wave of Nordic bands, and the mind-altering passages could have you seeing things, hearing strange sounds, and wondering if there is some way you, too, can go beyond this planet and headed toward another level with species who we haven’t met yet.” – Meat Mead Metal
“If you're a fan of esoteric atmospheric black metal that pours the cosmos into your soul, then you'll love this album.” – Servile Insurrection
“Pounding rhythms and oddly textured leads are par for the course here, but this does not make for a straightforward listen. I'm all for unorthodox, and Hellebore seems keen on delivering just enough strangeness for me to be hooked without running the risk of scaring away more traditional listeners.” – Black Metal and Brews
“This is a truly unique release, give it a listen or more. I’d say it falls under the broad umbrella of black metal, but there are so many elements to it. The image on the cover of the tape goes well with the feel of the album, as it definitely has a cold, monochromous, astral sound to it.” – Summoning Spirits
“With its odd alien flavour, Anouof Thwo is a very interesting addition to the Québec atmospheric black metal landscape.” – The Black Hull
“The songs overall have a very unique sound to them, not quite the standard “atmospheric” sound, much more akin to the rawness of a lo-fi black metal sound, but with a more graciousness and melodic presence.” – Your Taste in Music Sucks
“Un album à recommander aux férus de voyages sonores, fans de Black ou non d'ailleurs, tant le trip est puissant. L'émotion délivrée au cours de ces quarante minutes transcende les genres, mène à franchir un cap où l'étiquette disparaît au profit du plaisir des sens, pour le plus grand bonheur des imaginations fertiles et de nos rêves les plus fous. ” – Metalorgie
And a special thanks to Sol y Nieve for the cassette release (sold out).
Swirling guitars, furious drums, vocals that at the same time howl from infinite distance and are right up in your head; everything put into dissonant form with the help of unconventional songwriting. This album is my personal key to the icelanding black metal madness that I've ignored for way too long! Lukas Kaufmann