Dutch symphonic metal project Haliphron is determined to make an impression with their debut album, Prey.

Haliphron is a new band from the Netherlands formed in 2021 by former and active members of Izegrim, God Dethroned, and Bleeding Gods. The musicians have known each other for a long time, touring and playing together for many years. They decided to create Haliphron in order to “create a bombastic and powerful extreme metal sound.” Mission accomplished. The bands is Marloes Voskuil (vocals), Ramon Ploeg (guitar), Jessica Otten (bass), Jeroen Wechgelaer (guitars), David Gutierrez Rojas (keys, choirs), and Frank Schilperoort (drums).

After the theatrical introductory piece, “Let the World Burn,” the first main track takes off: “The Killing Spree.” The cognitive dissonance that gruff croaking and hissing vocals creates against the steady rhythm and symphonic walls is astonishing. The music vividly depicts its images, and you can see them in your mind quite clearly. To me, because of the nature of the music, I see it on stage in a kind of musical theater. This feeling carries through on every track. Different nuances, emotions, and expressions are revealed, of course, as in sinister and wicked “Mother of All Evil.” The essence of this music, however, can translate visually – perhaps even translates best visually.

The band describes the album this way: “Prey is all about being a hunter – or from another perspective – the one that is being hunted. You can either be the prey, or be the one that is on the search for their next victim / prey.” The narrative is harsh, then, and the music fits the story. The title track is a good example, with its gentle piano lead-in that is quickly enhanced with strong, powerful riffs, then elaborate percussion, then a full-force assault. For fans of symphonic metal, this album quite a find. Recommended.

Prey is out on Listenable Records starting Friday, March 31^st far and wide. You can pick it up at the links below.

Band photo by Stefan Schipper.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://listenable-records.bandcamp.com/album/prey

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/haliphronofficialband

Listenable Records, https://shop-listenable.net/en/

© Wayne Edwards