"Contemptus mundi" CD by Hegemon

by Björn Thorsten Jaschinski (04.01.2008) Fitting the name of the new Season Of Mist-sublabel, Underground Activists, "Contemptus mundi" takes us into the depths of the French Black Metal-massif. The Grande Nation was no genre-hegemonic power in the early '90s but with Anteus, Arkhon Infaustus, Temple Of Baal and Mütiilation to name but a few they had some hot irons in the fire. In the latter, Hegemon-drummer, Krzys was responsible for the time, too, while it had become quite silent around his own band between the first demo in 1997 and the second album. It took them until 2007 that they released the "Nereb esetim"-demo, and all three songs can also be found on the new album. "Itenou pediet" seems to indicate a slaughter but Hegemon is much more than that, is much more differentiated. Not only in terms of tempo variations and epic melodies (e.g. in the title track) but also by the use of acoustic guitars and a bagpipe like before on the second album, "By this I conquer". Without taking part in the Necro Black Metal sellout, Hegemon combine the Frost-guitars of the early Enslaved with some clean, rather Swedish sound.