It’s a bit of a mouthful, but Over Phlegethon by Five The Hierophant is a refreshing listen and something a little different in the black/post-metal/ambient scene. When it comes to instrumental albums, the mind conjures up images of over-the-top prog offerings with overly complex and showy musicianship, but Five The Hierophant takes that concept and tosses it in the bin.
Featuring six tracks of immersive instrumentation, it’s easy to get lost in the music and although it may not be the most complicated piece out there, Over Phlegethon delivers exactly what it needs to. There’s a lot of power to the music, particularly in the sludge/doomier sections of the tracks, and the saxophone lines give the music even more colour and variety.
From the opening chords of first track Queen Over Phlegethon that hit you hard, right through to the closing noise and ambience of the final song Omen Tree, Five The Hierophant takes you on a musical journey that will maintain your interest from start to finish (which is no mean feat in itself, as far too many bands rely on vocals as their driving force) and it results in an all-round engaging listen that you’ll keep wanting to come back to.
Over Phlegethon is impressive. Five The Hierophant’s debut is the start of something great, and I for one can’t wait to see where their journey takes us next!
9/10
