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Finland is an awesome export country for Doom/Death, with acts such as Swallow the Sun, Hamfero, Rapture, Barren Earth and, of course, early Amorphis being some of the stars to come out of the land of a thousand lakes. With more than 10 years of activity and in its fifth album, Hooded Menace pierces its claws in the top of the scene and solidifies themselves as one of the most reliable bands of the genre with Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed.

Crunchy riffs and chaotic atmosphere hover the entire album, which has some of the best compositions by the band yet, like the massive opening "Sempiternal Grotesqueries" and the crushing "Charnel Reflections". This is top of the notch Doom/Death favoring colossal power over slower and denser parts, much in the vein of Asphyx and Runemagick. While the production is not that great, the songwriting and overall performances more than compensate for what's an issue with the record, and the result is one of the best, most punishing releases of the genre of 2018. Highly recommended.