Black Metal - France
Symphonic, classic, elegant and yet fierce, harsh and imbued with cold darkness: seven years after their third album ‘Contemptus Mundi’ (2008) heaped scorn upon the world, HEGEMON finally strike again with ‘The Hierarch’. The roots are showing. There are traces of EMPEROR’s complex and epic arrangements as well as a hint of the orchestral might championed by DIMMU BORGIR to be found in the compositions of this enigmatic French quintet. With an added dose of early ENSLAVED and BORKNAGAR the Norwegian inspiration becomes all transparent and still the Southern French manage to infuse their own musical shape and will into their sinister compositions. The country’s touch is undeniably present.
HEGEMON emerged in the winter of 1996, one year after bassist Α and vokillist Ν decided to work on a common musical project. After completing the line-up, first demo ‘Rape The Banner Of Light’ was released in 1997. A second edition entitled ‘Still Raping After All These Years’ including three new songs followed the next year. HEGEMON recorded first full-length ‘Chaos Supreme’ in January 2000 and still motivated to spew forth violent, melodic and nihilistic black metal, the French delivered their sophomore album ‘By This, I Conquer’ in 2002.
After some changes in the line-up, HEGEMON decided to remain true to their original ideals, but to channel anger and violence in new creative ways, strengthening their evolution from an anarchic war machine to a controlled and intelligent weapon against everything that enslaves mankind. The band is seen as an entity in itself, in which musicians are only instruments to spread music.
Their acclaimed third album ‘Contemptus Mundi’ dealt with war through many different periods of human history, from ancient Greece through Egypt and Sumer to Mesopotamia. And since mankind never seems to learn, ‘The Hierarch’ again demonstrates that war and chaos are in its blood. This album touches upon the fact that the history of humanity lasts just for a a glimpse within the vastness of the universe. HEGEMON state: “We think that we are everything, but this is our greatest mistake. We are blind and thus we will stay until the end…”
HEGEMON celebrate 20 years of their dark existence with ‘The Hierarch’. And although its members remain nameless shadows, it shall be recorded that a new drummer and guitarist have joined in the meantime. The cult of black war lives …
This band is no longer active on Season of Mist.
HEGEMON are now premiering their forthcoming album ‘The Hierarch’ in full. The worldwide release date has been set to the 13th of November. The French black metal veterans are streaming ‘The Hierarch’ exclusively via the official media partners below.
HEGEMON are premiering a new track taken from their forthcoming album ‘The Hierarch’, which has been scheduled for worldwide release on the 13th of November. The French black metal veterans are streaming their venomous song “Hatred From The Core: Tempus Incognito” exclusively via the official media partners below.
HEGEMON have unleashed a new song from their forthcoming album ‘The Hierarch’, which has been scheduled for worldwide release on the 13th of November. The French black metal radicals are streaming their challenging song “Credo Quia Absurdum” exclusively via the official media partners below.
HEGEMON are now streaming the first new track from their forthcoming album ‘The Hierarch’, which has been scheduled for worldwide release on the 13th of November. The French black metal act is premiering the sinister song “Interpreting Signs For War: Aruspicine” exclusively via the official media partners below.
