HIDEOUS DIVINITY – Unextinct

Hideous Divinity has come a long way since their beginnings. Since 2007, year after year, the Romans have made their mark on both the Italian and international underground. Their explosive performances in the studio and live set them apart. The genre they’ve chosen leaves little room for a light sound. Still, their true skill lies in interpreting it in a way that’s anything but standardized. For them, progress seems unstoppable.

 

With Obesaince Rising (2012) and Cobra Verde (2014), they followed in the footsteps of Hate Eternal and Nile, while Adveniens (2017) and Simulacrum (2019) saw them branching into new paths, honing their abilities and artistic sophistication. These elements have reached a new peak in the latest Unextinct. Violence, technicality, and blistering speed remain at the core of their sound, but what stands out are the more spacious, melodic moments in the vein of Ulcerate, serving as interludes or intros throughout the album. Previously tested techniques are now fully integrated into the album’s identity.

 

The instrumental intro, Dust Settles on Humanity, immediately showcases this by shifting from cryptic, airy passages to a violent, thunderous finale—serving as the perfect prelude to the album proper. With The Numinous One, we dive into Hideous Divinity’s true nature, brought to life by Enrico Di Lorenzo’s impetuous growls. Guitarist Enrico Schettino delivers jaw-dropping riffs, while Stefano Franceschini anchors the tracks with heavy, frenetic bass lines, and Davide Itri’s drumming drives the chaos. The album proceeds in this vein: direct and relentless, featuring odd-time passages and dynamic shifts that work brilliantly on tracks like Quasi Sentient and Mysterium Tremendum—both among the most straightforward pieces, reminiscent of their early work. Another highlight, Hair, Dirt, Mud, opens with an ethereal moment before plunging the listener back into a whirlwind of violence, perfectly encapsulating the album’s spirit.

 

In short: atmosphere, melody, purposeful violence, and carefully structured transitions make Unextinct a manifesto of modern death metal—evolving yet faithful to its identity. All of these points to a band in remarkable form, fully confident in their skills and capabilities.