Hierophany
“Tenebrario” (Serpent Sun Records, 2025)

A Modern Ritual in Black Metal’s Expanding Darkness.

I might be getting into this a bit late – December 2025 – however, it is still worth giving it time and attention. At times, Black Metal sounds saturated, and just another band/artist copying another band/artist; not far from reality are we, but… it is meaningless if there is quality and artistry in the music. 

Hierophany was unknown to me until Serpent Sun Records reached out with the proposition of listening to their latest releases: Hierophany and Kaosophia, along with Nox Formulae. The one that stood out was, indeed, the Mexican duo formed by Magister Faust (concept and lyrics) and Shadow Alpha IkanunnaBg (the man behind every single instrument… voices included). First and foremost, they do not reinvent anything! Their sound is not an immense evolution to the sound of Black Metal! Their sound is quite good, but not a breed apart. Let us get this clear. 

In all honesty, their sound is starting to feel more, and more, like a “safe place”. It is intricate, but never over exaggerated or extremely technical and tedious or repetitive. They are able to maintain the listener interested and wanting more! Their sound has, obviously, elements of modernity – if I may use the term – which might scare many of the purists that still populate the scene. A while back I would stay away from music that had, in my opinion, too much ritualistic elements, as it always sounded “too much”; today, I am able to let myself go and appreciate.

And this is mostly due to the fact that the band, the duo, S.A.I., “injects” into his work the exact amount of needed violence and aggressiveness, giving it the necessary dynamics to surprise the listener. It sounds modern, as I said in the beginning, but it does not sound misplaced, if you know what I mean. 

Is their sound, the “sound of the moment”? Yes, it is; do they have the image? Yes, I believe they do; do they have what it takes to go beyond the image the media, and the fans, made of them? Of course they do.  “Tenebrario” came out on the 12th of December via Serpent Sun Records, and I recommend it to whoever is able to enjoy music for what it is worth.

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