Metalcatto
It’s been 10 years since Hyperion released album-of-the-year material with Seraphical Euphony (I was there!). At this point, I figured they were either dead or employed, which is why we never heard from them ever again. However, here we are. I lived long enough to see Elysia happen. Can it even come close to topping its predecessor? Not an easy task, but for once, I want to believe.
Hyperion is back, people! Bombastic, dramatic, spectacular. These are just some of the adjectives I would use to describe an album that honors the good old days of Symphonic/Melodic Black Metal. Forget Dimmu Borgir; this is the real deal when it comes to mixing styles. From the epic intro to the emotional farewell, it feels like time has had absolutely no effect on the creativity of these guys. Woohoo! Okay, I’ll try to calm down.
Prepare yourself for one track longer than the other. I mean, classic Opeth long. It might not be proggy, but this thing is absolutely packed with phenomenal songwriting. You don’t even have to wait long; you’ll get blasted before you can say “kvlt!” If anything, Hyperion has increased the scale of their arrangements even further. And no, this excitement has nothing to do with them being one of my local bands.
Because the album does challenge your patience and endurance. There are next to no breaks. Sure, there’s a track in the middle that doesn’t last seven minutes, but the rest is basically sequence after sequence of epic, elaborate songwriting. These guys might want to be a grandiose and fantasy-driven MeloBlack band, but the complexity of their music is undeniable. Also, if you’re not familiar with Dissection or Sacramentum’s Far Away from the Sun, you might be missing some context to fully enjoy Elysia. So yes, it’s super niche, but that takes nothing away from it.
You might think Willowtip Records is lobbying at MER. Sadly, that’s not the case. We could use more money, as always. Either way, it’s not my fault they keep getting acts like Hyperion, who have probably made one of, if not the most, unexpected comebacks of the year. At times, it’s a little too Tolkien for my taste, but overall, this is an excellent and epic adventure into a world that feels long gone, but that nobody seems to mind visiting again. Now, what I really hope is that Hyperion doesn’t plan on making us wait another 10 years for another album. A cat can dream, right?
Label: Willowtip Records
Release date: November 6th, 2026
Website:´https://www.hyperion.nu/
Country: Sweden
Score: 4.2/5.0
