Famous Italian poet Dante Alighieri once described (hyperbolically, of course) Satan’s hovel as: at the lowest place in Hell, and Satan is wrapped not in flame but in ice. Certainly, the journey to get there is harrowing at best and soul-crushing at worst, but the scene sets the stage for prime appropriation in extreme metal. Arizona’s Thorn (not be confused with Norwegian masterminds Thorns) interprets Hell as similarly horrific. Thorn, the infernal creation of Brennen Westermeyer (Fluids), is as deathly as it gets.
The track Decibel unfurls today, “Hellmouth,” is but one part of that spirit-stripping journey. Into the maw of Hell, the unkind descent into the depths from which there’s little, if any hope. “Hellmouth” borrows from heavy-hitters like Mortician, Impetigo, and Incantation, but skewers the fetid meat of our beloved and storied forebears with a modern twist (head and body decollate, for instance) that’s all the rage in the darkest corners of our grotesque scene.
Says Westermeyer: “‘Hellmouth’ is the first song I wrote for Yawning Depths. Lyrically, it sets the tone for the rest of the album. Entering into the mouth of hell, down the gullet of lost souls, into the bowels of Hell. The rest of the album then details our condemnation to Hell, with bleak rays of hope for an escape that doesn’t come.”
Cross Acheron and find out the horrors contained within. Thorn’s “Hellmouth” will be your everlasting suffering soundtrack. Andiamo, stronzi!
