Band:	Hermh
Album:	Eden's Fire
Style:	Symphonic black metal
Release date:	2006

01. Prepare To Revolt
02. Back From Divine
03. Septu Annu - Theory Of Nature
04. Immortal Stars
05. Fear Of Blood
06. Eternalization
07. Vampyronium
08. Fury
+ Prepare To Revolt [video]

Hermh hail from Poland and while i was searching for information on them after i received their promo of the latest effort i found out that they were a pretty old band since they were formed back in 1993! After their first two full-length releases, "Taram" (1995) and "Angeldemon" (1996), many years of silence followed and they returned with a new line-up during 2004 and an EP, reaching 2006 with "Eden's Fire", their third official full-length release.

Hermh nowadays move in majestic black metal soundscapes of the Dimmu Borgir mid-to-later era with some doses of death-metal oriented passages in the vein of Emperor's latest release, "Prometheus - The Discipline Of Fire And Demise", so don't expect something extremely personal, but allow me to say that these guys had some great inspiration and managed to compose some really strong compositions that, despite the obvious references from the aforementioned bands, won't disappoint the fans of symphonic black metal. "Eden's Fire" consists of 8 songs and will accompany you for about 40 minutes, something very positive since the duration of the album won't surpass the limit after which an album becomes boring; and Hermh succeeded really well into keeping the interest of the listener to high levels. Another strong part of "Eden's Fire" has to be the really good production that helps the compositions present what they have to offer, strengthening the final outcome of Hermh.

The guitar work is inspired and it unfolds several pathways of expression, either it has a slightly heavier edge or tends to follow the more renowned razorblade black metal way or moves in more Emperor oriented soundscapes of their latest era with this distressing and abstract riffing it has a lot to say, blending so beautifully together these different ways of expression and pleasing the ears of the listener! The drumming sounds unerring, interpreting in any possible tempo and lending the ideal power and groove the compositions deserve, while the bass lines lurk a little bit in the background, but this doesn't matter in the end since the overall outcome is really strong and surrounding. The most atmosphere-evoking parts though in Hermh's music have to be the vocals and the keyboards, pacing together in nocturnal ways and showing the potential of the band. The keyboard passages are high quality, evoking great and affected symphonic passages in the darkening atmosphere, having an intense Dimmu Borgir/Emperor aesthetic though (the "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia" or "Prometheus" keyboard references are quite distinctive is you ask me), but this won't prevent Flumen from showing what a great keyboard player he is! He definitely knows how to create a sound portait of menacing and alluring colours that chant the night, whereas Bart on the vocals whether he howls, grunts deeply or sings in a chanting way that is reminiscent to Arcturus (something that is not being used to an extended scale) completes this burnt offering bearing the name "Eden's Fire" with his ecstatic and eerie interpretation!

Concluding, i don't think that this album will disappoint the fans of the more popular symphonic black metal, Hermh might not be the most personal band around in terms of sound identity, but they know what they are dong and they are doing it well and i think that Hermh's next attempt will be more promising since "Eden's Fire" will make them more well-known i think, in logical terms always.

PS: A good addition has to be the video clip of "Prepare To Revolt" which is professional and has a sinister and morbid atmosphere and all the necessary does of evil.