{"id":267826,"date":"2025-11-07T13:23:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T13:23:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/267826\/"},"modified":"2025-11-07T13:23:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T13:23:08","slug":"gruta-hymnus-ad-atram-mortem-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/267826\/","title":{"rendered":"Gruta – Hymnus Ad Atram Mortem Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"In his most recent visit to terrorize the unwashed masses known as writers, Steel gave me a choice: volunteer to cover Gruta or be voluntold to cover something (else) of his choosing. So it was that I found myself reviewing Gruta\u2019s sophomore release, Hymnus Ad Atram Mortem. Hailing from Bogot\u00e1, Colombia, Gruta plays a style of black metal they\u2019ve labeled \u201cChaos Black, a twisted gnarled amalgamation of black metal\u2019s most vicious bits.\u201d Between this description, loudly antifascist messaging, and opening the record by sampling the Dark Lord Sauron, my expectations were high. Does Hymnus Ad Atram Mortem deliver, or is Gruta just another passionate young band in search of their identity?<\/p>\n

The core of Gruta\u2019s sound straddles the line between black metal\u2019s first and second waves. Although Hymnus Ad Atram Mortem opens bright and playful \u00e0 la Slaegt, it quickly settles into something more traditional (\u201cNiebla\u201d). Drummer Flama unleashes blast beats and d-beat-laden assaults in equal measure, while guitarists Agnen and Garmr wildly oscillate between punky Bathory riffcraft and Immortally searing tremolos (\u201cOda a la Ruina,\u201d \u201cM.A.F.M\u201d). The resulting baseline is like a distant cousin to Darkthrone. Vocalist Dagnir is nearly a dead ringer for Mayhem, frog voice and all. Whether whipping up a crowd (\u201cRamas de Ara\u00f1a,\u201d \u201cSword of Defilement\u201d) or shouting incantations like Saruman over the winds of Caradhras (\u201cTransfiguraci\u00f3n\u201d), Dagnir commands an impressive range of rasps, howls, shrieks, and croaks. Rather than choosing between black metal\u2019s punky origins and the icy, atmospheric howl it became, Gruta uses both as a springboard for what they ultimately create.<\/p>\n

\ufeffHymnus Ad Atram Mortem by Gruta<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cChaos Black\u201d had me expecting unhinged war metal, heavy dissonance, or traces of grindcore. Not so, apparently. While their blackened core is indeed closest to Darkthrone, Gruta incorporates DSBM atmospherics (\u201cStygos Tou Kosmos,\u201d \u201cM.A.F.M.\u201d), heavy metal (\u201cOda a la Ruina,\u201d \u201cRamas de Ara\u00f1a\u201d), Slayer-esque thrashing (\u201cAl-Shuhada,\u201d \u201cSword of Defilement\u201d), punky piss and vinegar (\u201cRamas de Ara\u00f1a,\u201d \u201cM.A.F.M.\u201d) and even emotive atmoblack structures (\u201cVor\u00e1gine Espectral\u201d). Rather than a caustic brew, the result shares much in common with Kvelertak. By injecting their formula with such wide-ranging styles, Gruta offers a fun and engaging ride. In crafting this refreshing take on black metal, Ataecina\u2019s bass unexpectedly steals the show. Surprisingly forward in the mix, it\u2019s vibrant and warm, very like Iron Maiden\u2019s early releases. Ataecina weaves and dances around central riffs and rhythms, nimbly alternating between counterpointed leads and supporting Agnen and Garmr\u2019s guitars (\u201cOda a la Ruina,\u201d \u201cRamas de Ara\u00f1a\u201d). Gruta is certainly black metal, but it is their ambitious maelstrom of influences that separates them from the pack.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Gruta\u2019s biggest difficulty is in keeping their momentum up through the album. Opener \u201cNiebla\u201d struggles to get off the ground because of a false ending one minute in, and with a slow, atmospheric interlude that takes up a quarter of the track, \u201cNiebla\u201d feels more like a botched teaser than an actual song. \u201cStygos Tou Kosmos\u201d suffers similarly. It downshifts from mid-paced, Mayhem-heavy black metal to haunting and eerie DSBM around 1:30, lingering there without clear purpose until it fades out two and a half minutes later. I hate to knock a song that literally screams \u201cDeath to Fascist Metal,\u201d but \u201cM.A.F.M.\u201d has the same issue; the first half is an absolutely vitriolic barn burner, but the back half runs out of gas early and takes a couple minutes to eke across the finish line. I think if these songs were cut up differently, or perhaps ordered differently, this may not be as much of an issue, but as it stands, I find myself wanting to skip about a third of the album.<\/p>\n

Opening with a soundbyte of Sauron the Deceiver is a good foot to start on, but Gruta doesn\u2019t really need it. Retro guitars, iconic vocals, a deliciously clever bass, and punky, energetic drums come together to honor the greats and forge a path all Gruta\u2019s own. Far from the harrowing trip I expected, Hymnus Ad Atram Mortem has a classic, old school feel, decked out in fun, nostalgic threads. Gruta\u2019s style does come dangerously close to the kitchen sink, and I\u2019d like to see a smidge more focus and a keener ear toward holistic composition on future releases. But problems aside, Hymnus Ad Atram Mortem is a solid and exploratory sophomore effort from a passionate band, and I\u2019ll be very interested to see what Gruta does next.<\/p>\n

Rating: 3.0\/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: WAV
Label: Liminal Dread Productions<\/a>
Websites: Bandcamp<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Instagram<\/a>
Releases Worldwide: November 7th, 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tGive in to Your Anger:\n<\/p>\n