Review by Dominik on March 4, 2025.

When Sun Worship announced Upon The Hills Of Divination after five years of silence, I hoped for the best and prepared for the worst. I found myself locked in the eternal struggle of every metal fan: clinging to hope while bracing for disappointment. Would they refine the blistering fury of Emanations Of Desolation, or would they, like so many before them, stumble under the weight of their own previous triumph? Of course, I wanted a continuation—or, dare I say, an improvement—compared to their previous album. But experience has taught me to temper my expectations. How many bands do you know that follow up a masterpiece by outdoing themselves? Exactly. The history of sophomore albums is littered with wishful thinking, where reviewers convince themselves that something—anything—justifies calling it an improvement. Unfortunately, Upon The Hills Of Divination doesn't quite reach the heights of its predecessor.

What has changed? Not much on the surface, but just enough to sap some of the fun out of the experience. The good news is that Sun Worship's signature sound remains largely intact. The production is once again powerful, reinforcing the impact of the compositions. The band still refuses to acknowledge the existence of a bass guitar, and for the most part, it remains a non-issue. But beneath the surface, slight shifts in Sun Worship's formula at times nudge the experience toward frustration. These are not catastrophic deviations, mind you—no wild prog experimentations or none called for synth interludes. However, the blackened death metal influences, which were only subtle hints before, now take up more space, sometimes to the detriment of the album's overall atmosphere. The same can be said for Lars' vocals that once were a bleak and commanding presence, but now seem to have succumbed to either age or intent, sounding increasingly strained and monotone and lost some of their bite. He was never known for vocal variety, but here, his delivery feels especially one-dimensional, with one notable exception (more on that later). The occasional clean vocals also feel less organic than before, working hard to provide the balance they might have intended.

The subtle shift in sound is most evident in tracks like the opener "Within The Machine" and "Fractal Entity", where the dense, overwhelming guitar work struggles to keep one foot in black metal. The former does feature an interesting vocal duel, with wailing clean background vocals clashing against aggressive growls, which adds some unexpected contrast. But one of the best moments on the album is "Serpent Nebula", a track that immediately pulls you in with compelling riffs and an intensifying build-up. It radiates urgency, seamlessly shifting between hypnotic repetition and ferocious speed.

Another highlight is "Covenant", where Lars finally breaks away from his usual low growls, injecting a sense of desperation that adds some variety to the vocal approach. The guitars remain the driving force, either dictating a steady mid-tempo pace or pushing into high-velocity blast beats. The title track, the album's shortest, stands out particularly in its second half, where it channels pure relentlessness, that reminds us why Sun Worship is still a force to be reckoned with.

And then there's the closer "Stormbringer", the album's frustratingly mixed finale. It starts off exactly how I wish the whole album had been—immediate, punishing, and brimming with urgency, a storm worthy of its name. But just when you expect it to escalate further, it instead slows down, eventually settling into a drawn-out, plodding groove. It doesn't smell like teen spirit, but it does reek of a song being deliberately stretched to hit the ten-minute mark. Where Emanations Of Desolation ended in a blaze of finality, this one just…. wanders off, leaving a faintly bitter aftertaste.

Ultimately, Upon The Hills Of Divination is a solid album, just not quite at the level of its predecessor. Some of my issues stem from my general skepticism about mixing black and death metal, so your rating may vary. The death metal influences remain within acceptable levels most of the time, but they do occasionally get in the way of what Sun Worship does best. Still, the band remains a compelling act, and even with its minor flaws, this album is more than worth the time. Just don't expect divination—only intermittent glimpses of it.

Rating: 8.2 out of 10, because even the hills of divination have occasional dead spots.