Black metal storytellers, that’s what we get from Death’s Eminence on their third album ‘In a Hideous Dream Made True’. Inside the sonic wrapping of a progressive blackened death metal package, we are gifted a story equal parts Lovecraft and Thomas Harris. The main character discards a dagger only for an otherworldly force to cause the blade to fly back and stab him. Afterward, he is possessed by the will of the unknown entity and begins a rampage of serial killing and madness. You’ll have to listen to the rest of the album to learn how the story ends, but the very first track ‘Omens of Chaos on the Battlefield of Sacred Duty’ will prepare you for exactly the kind of music you should expect.
The album begins with standard death metal fare but quickly becomes unnerving. It’s clear that this unease is a deliberate choice made by the two members. The rhythm guitars are the only instruments vamping while the drums, vocals, and lead guitars often meander into countering rhythms of each other. This forces the listener to focus their attention only for it to be snatched in another direction. There are passages throughout the album, especially the clean sections, where one could be lulled into a groove, only for the band to suddenly pivot back into their eldritch noise soundscapes. This isn’t an easy album to listen to and should be reserved for listeners with refined black metal palettes. This is an album for fans who want to be challenged. If you fall into that niche accept the challenge and give this record a spin.
