Review by Brad on January 26, 2012.

"Beyond The Lightless Sky" opens with the track ‘Earth From Water’ and I could tell I was going to be in one ‘HULL’ of a ride. While they borrow from sludgy influences, this album offers much more than that. With a triple guitar threat there is a lot going on at any given time. Whether it is heavy, faster paced riffage or the slower, melancholy beautifulness that takes place quite often, you can count on the music to not feel ‘predictable’.

One important characteristic with "Beyond The Lightless Sky" is the atmosphere. These Brooklyn natives didn’t just set out to make a few songs, they set out to make an experience. With most of the songs clocking in at over 8 minutes, this isn’t the metal-bubblegum that has all too much saturated the genre. I can’t help but reminded of Nile when listening to Hull. That of course is a good thing, especially in capturing the ancient mood of civilizations. While not as musically dramatic as the Egyptian theme, Hull creates an in-depth experience. It is a yin and yang story of two Mayan brothers trying to find salvation; one through the sky and the other through blood.

Overall, this is a solid release that will pull you in. At times it will comfort you and make you think everything is going to be ‘ok’. Then it will smash you in the back of your head with a sledgehammer for thinking that you were going to be ‘ok’. If you’re a fan of dense, layered, and epic metal, I suggest you check out Hull’s "Beyond The Lightless Sky".

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 7.5
Originality: 7.5
Overall: 8

Rating: 8 out of 10