Album Review: A Hill to Die Upon – The Black Nativity (Rottweiler Records)

We have waited six, long years for a new album from A Hill To Die Upon and it has felt like an eternity since Via Artis Via Mortis walked amongst us. But now the wait is over, the night watch complete and the left-handed wizards have returned – bringing with them their most richly textured, unfathomably deep and diverse, powerful album to date; The Black Nativity. It will be released on November 24th, 2023, via Rottweiler Records.

The yuletide album you didn’t know you needed, probably didn’t think you wanted, and certainly didn’t expect to love it quite like you will. It’s A Hill to Die Upon and they are back with an album of progressive black metal delights. Yet, like everything this band delivers, The Black Nativity is genre-bending and includes re-interpretations of classic hymns. Alongside a bevy of guests, A Hill to Die Upon take the likes of We Three Kings, What Child Is This, Stille Nacht, and Auld Lang Syne, and twists them with their blackened sensibilities.

Each showcases a daring shift in style, even if the core ‘tune’ is evident. We Three Kings, for example, is exceptionally moody and dark, but it also descends into chaos near the end. Then there is the ringing bleakness of What Child Is This, which features Extol’s Ole Borud, and the most wicked sounding version of Stille Nacht (Silent Night) most will have ever heard.

They are some of the best versions heard, and that applies to the beautiful melody of Auld Lang Syne. A super-subtle version that oozes atmosphere. It might even bring a tear to the eye.

Then there is VENIVENIEMMANVEL aka O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, a devilish and riffy banger. The French Christmas carol, Entre Le Beouf, which sees A Hill to Die Upon going ‘traditional’ with their black metal fury.

Around these tracks though, there are also some extremely special sounding pieces. The album opens with the folk-orientated Hymn To Marduk, which features Nile’s Karl Sanders. Later, Hymn To Marduk II will deliver some of the most expansive and effective melodies of the record. With Rotting Christ’s Sakis Tolis and Living Sacrifice’s Bruce Fitzhugh guesting on this track, it ends up being one of the most special sounding pieces of all.

Then there is Left Handed Wizard (My Eyes Look West), which is one of the more dramatic sounding tracks of all, and Sacred Harp, a beautifully constructed acoustic offering. Both could easily be a person’s favourite track on this album.

How do you end an album like this? By offering up a version of Minuit Chretien (O Holy Night) done in the style of a radio broadcast. It’s a very unique, and a very sweet way to end everyone’s new favourite yuletide album.

A Hill to Die Upon – The Black Nativity Track Listing:

1. Hymn To Marduk (feat. Karl Sanders)
2. VENIVENIEMMANVEL
3. We Three Kings
4. What Child Is This (feat. Ole Borud)
5. Left Handed Wizard (My Eyes Look West)
6. Stille Nacht
7. Entre Le Beouf
8. Auld Lang Syne
9. Sacred Harp
10. Hymn To Marduk II (feat. Sakis Tolis and Bruce Fitzhugh)
11. Minuit Chretien

Links

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