There are records that do not try to seduce, but to crush. With Misanthropic Path of Carnal Deliverance, released on April 25, 2025, Hexekration Rites delivers a work that rises like a wall of violence and weight. No flattering introduction, no atmospheric detours to ease the listener in: the sonic matter is brutal, massive, relentless. This is not a contemplative experience—it is a summons to ordeal, a forced march into the darkest depths of French black/death.
The Parisian trio, already noticed for a demo and two EPs, here unveils their first full-length after several years of gestation and studio revisions. That perfectionism can be felt in the density of the compositions: every riff, every drum strike, every vocal inflection contributes to a sonic cataclysm steeped in obsession and rage. The production impresses with its rare balance for such an extreme register: abrasive guitars do not drown out the bass, which hammers with tectonic heaviness, while the drums resonate organically without falling into sterility.
The album’s universe is rooted in ritual logic. Tracks such as The Grimoire of Insanity, Apocalyptic Sermon, or Bestial Rites of Doom unfold like incantations. Far from gratuitous chaos, Hexekration Rites imposes discipline in its songwriting: recurring motifs, fluid transitions, incantatory refrains. At times one hears the unholy savagery of Archgoat or the martial frenzy of Revenge, yet with a more structured, almost ceremonial dimension.
The artwork by Chris Moyen completes this vision. A symbol of sacrifice and transcendence, it embodies the group’s philosophy: a path to illumination through destruction, where hatred and misanthropy are not ends in themselves but weapons to transcend the human condition. Here lies the uniqueness of Misanthropic Path of Carnal Deliverance: sonic extremity placed in service of a spiritual quest.
On stage, Hexekration Rites amplifies this approach, favoring intensity and communion in suffering rather than multiplying appearances. The album, already tailored for live performance, bears this imprint: riffs cracking like whips, crescendos tightening around the throat, and a voice that descends like a curse.
Without seeking forced originality or melodic seduction, Hexekration Rites offers a total sacrifice: ritual black/death, massive and uncompromising, that stands as one of the most striking releases of 2025.
