History & Biography The unfortunately named death metal band was founded in 1997. The Catharsis demo came in 2001. Ivanov left and returned. Kirilov left in 2016. Bulgaria-based death metal act Hyperborea issued the Umbra album through Art Gates Records worldwide on 15.11.2019. This was a return for the band after years of inaction.
The band claims influence from Death and Gorguts.
Reviews HYPERBOREA - UMBRA - ART GATES RECORDS Third album but formed way back in the ‘90s, from Bulgaria and with an unfortunate sounding name. Several question marks for the listener. After a Jungian intro the band talks psychology again with Home Of My Misery. The ‘90s’ influence is apparent with both US and European sounding death metal with blast beats and similar goodies on offer. Malevolent Creation is one possible comparison. From Within starts sounding differently, perhaps more modern with start stop and so-called groovy riffs. This change, thankfully, doesn't take over completely. The song speeds up enough times to maintain its metal credentials. Silent Stream is in the same category as the song before but it could use more speed and blasts as it seems the band is moving further away from it. Supermacists starts with heavy loud riffing and is speedy death metal. Sinister is a good comparison for this one. Two Extremities sounds more like Amon Amarth at times. Hyperborea seems to travel between different death metal influences. Unwelcome is somewhat surprising in its departure into the melodic side but it is not a total loss. It sounds like some 2010s death metal songs where a band adds more melody and straight heavy metal elements. Wrong Planet Syndrome returns to form, mostly. The closer runs for over seven minutes. It seems inevitable that it takes breaks and it does. Atavistic Fear slows down with Dancho Ivanov's screams dominating in something of an Obituary and Unleashed mix. Umbra, without any of the non-metal extras, is a very good release for 2019. – Anna Tergel
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