Hyaena is the new album from progressive death metal band Sadist. Recorded in the group's homeland of Italy, this album is described as "a compelling mix of the band's traditional Death Metal and Progressive influences with ethnic and tribal sounds, centered around an intriguing concept about one of Africa's most fascinating predators, whose legend says is ridden by the Devil." In listening to this music, it is clear that a lot of passion and care went into meticulously crafting each detail, right down to the cover art by painter Luca Orecchia, and booklet design by Manuel Del Bono.
This is truly a different manner of prog. One that I have not only never heard this year, but really ever. Hyaena is neither the heavy, groovy sound of Meshuggah or the lofty scope of BTBAM. Sadist falls on the spectrum somewhere just beyond Mastodon in extremity and style, but a lot can happen in just a few clicks on this scale. The sound quite raw, with plenty of grit left the the production. This lends itself to an appropriate dirtiness which matches the subject matter and death metal tendencies. These animals aren't exactly the cleanest, after all.
But there are some more gentrified influences to consider as well. Plenty of jazzy solos rise from the murk, one of my favorites being on "Pachycrocuta," (a genus of prehistoric hyaena) which even ends in some ethereal synthesizer work. Speaking of which, the keys do a number of unusual and surprising things throughout the album. "The Devil Riding His Steed" goes fulls bells and symphonics for the first minute or so.
But even the heavier parts are plenty awash in a mixture of technical and tribal sounds that make this anything but your standard metal record. The bass guitar makes a pretty impressive contribution throughout, rumbling along like Wooten alongside the crunchy, proggy leads. However, it's the drums, melodies, and use of some regional instruments that make Hyaena even more interesting. It's the African influences that make the concept truly come alive.
All of these disparate ideas are forcefully welded together to create something that is a bit otherworldly, mysterious. And while I'd say that overall Sadist throw caution to the wind in their avantgarde song constructions, some tracks like "Scavenger and Thief" or "Scratching Rocks" are more traditional foot-tappers that aren't far from something you might find on Blood Mountain. "Gadawan Kura" is built like a traditional acoustic song that just happens to feature some super jazzy bass. But even when things lean towards the less accessible, there are some really cool sounds happening. Riffs will go from progressing to bending so far you can hear the strings straining. Tribal drums and instruments I am most likely ignorant to take hold and carry a song to new horizons.
If you consider yourself a true progger, or even if you don't (I certainly am not), you should definitely check this one out. It's one of the most unique albums I have heard all year, perhaps even in the top 5. But more importantly, it's a solid listen and will keep you coming back. The music video as well as the full album stream are both available below.