HANDS OF ORLAC - Hebetudo Mentis CD

Hands Of Orlac have always maintained a connection with their homeland in Italy, but Hebetudo Mentis strengthens that connection, zoning in on native dark prog from the 1970s and stretching out their songs further than ever before. The 6 major cuts on this third full-length occupy nearly an hour, with the grim presence of ‘Ex Officio Domini (The Executioner of Rome)’ taking up close to 15 minutes at the end. The changes result in a great deal of time spent screwing through intricate riffs and instrumental sections, painting a musical picture of the scenes from cult horror that often inspire the songs; however, that means less overall vocal coverage, the band taking in atmospheric shots of cobwebbed houses and whispering forests with a vintage palette before the emotive, luxurious croons of The Sorceress emerge. The sound remains recognizably influenced by doom metal too, especially ‘Il Velo Insanguinato’, yet the songwriting may now appeal more to lovers of old-fashioned ambience.

For the most part, Hebetudo Mentis can be loved on exactly those terms, though the band slightly risk overstaying their welcome when ploughing on for 9 minutes in the sparse ‘Malenka’. Indeed, this track is where the intriguingly crafted sound of the record comes across clearest, with picks heard slipping on strings, shrill lead guitar piping out of the scratchy chugs, and every spidery scramble of the cymbals being heard in minute detail. That summarizes the odd combination of the antique and the sumptuous that Hands Of Orlac unite under their banner, simultaneously captivating and alienating due to their challenging yet restrained music. Not every reader will be enchanted by what they hear, but those that do will fall deep into Hebetudo Mentis.