A Hill to Die Upon
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A Hill to Die Upon

Monmouth, Illinois, United States | INDIE

Monmouth, Illinois, United States | INDIE
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""Infinite Titanic Immortal" Album Review"

First off, congrats to A Hill to Die Upon for the year’s best album cover- a commissioned painting from renowned Serbian artist, Bogdan .

Hailing from the depths of Illinois, A Hill to Die Upon is a fresh new black/death metal act started by the Cook brothers (Adam-guitars/vocals, Michael-Drums), and for a band that’s only been around a year or so (with band members under the age of 20 at the time of recording), Infinite Titanic Immortal is a killer release that bodes well for the future.

Don’t let the Dimmu Borgir-ish three word album title fool you, this isn’t flowery, or synth filled or even remotely trendy, this is a guitar driven, war metal styled release that reminds me if fellow Illinoisans Forest of Impaled, the UKs Spearhead and maybe a stripped down Behemoth with its deft mix of death metal and black metal. Though vocally, things are more on the death metal side with a gruff, but understandable throaty roar/rasp, musically things are a competent mix of melodic death/black metal and death metal, but with plenty of heft and militant/Romanic war marches thrown in.

Admittedly, Infinite Titanic Immortal takes a little while to find its footing with introduction “Of Fire and Division” and “Prometheus Rebound” doing little to grab my attention, but the killer trio of “This King Never Smiles”, “Season of the Starved Wolf” and “Twin Heads of Vengeance” snarl from the speakers with a supine mix of melody and scathing slicing riffs with stern war marches, I am truly impressed by the bands scope and skill. In fact, every track on the album is a keeper after the first two tracks (with the exception of interlude “The Dark Road”). The production is frosty blackness and death metal heft combined perfectly for a crystal clear clarion that gives tracks like “Heka Secundus (On Slithering Ice)”, Behemoth-ish is gait of “We Soulless Men” and epically blistering “Eclipse of Serpents” (an arguable standout if I had to choose one) a presence and confidence many debuts simply lack. Even six minute instrumental closer “Rime” kept my attention, and I really don’t care for instrumentals.

Rather than simply be another The Black Dahlia Murder rip off, A Hill to Die Upon has forged their own path of battle hardened and epic European influences and come away with one of the more impressive American black metal debuts of 2009, if not the last couple of years (with the exception of Krallice). Abigail who?

Oh, did I mention this is a Christian band? My bad, guess I should have mentioned that earlier, eh? - Teeth of the Devine


Discography

"Infinite Titanic Immortal" - Released July 21st 2009

"Omens" - To Be Released June, 2011

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Bio

Started by brothers Adam and Michael, A HILL TO DIE UPON has been characterized by a constant drive to better the music and the inability to give up. After forming in the Winter of 2005, many demos and uncountable shows, AHTDU found it’s niche in extreme metal with Elisha Mullins and Ravn Furfjord (ex Antestor and Frosthardr). While releasing their first full length, INFINITE TITANIC IMMORTAL, AHTDU has made great strides in their titanic onslaught. Infinite Titanic Immortal is the band's debut album and in less than a year since it's release has already made an incredible mark in the underground metal scene and truly showing the band's growing potential.

The band is currently working on their follow up to ITI, entitled OMENS. With the departure of Ravn on bass, the band has become a power trio with lead vocalist Adam now on bass. The sound of AHTDU is tighter, faster, and heavier and OMENS looks become another staple in the growing underground metal scene.

PRAISE FOR “INFINITE TITANIC IMMORTAL”

HM Magazine - 4/5 “…they‘ve got my attention and soon they‘ll have yours.”

Teethofthedivine.com - “…year’s best album cover…”

Theomegaorder.com - “...this young band is already operating at
a very high level.”

Outburn Magazine - 8/10

SOD Magazine - “Epic, powerful, crushing Black Metal onslaught…”

Rawandwild.com - “Get this album.”