Sunniva – Hypostasis
Release Date: 19th September 2025
Label: Svart Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Sludge Metal, Blackened Post-Metal.
FFO: Conjurer, Glassing, Amenra, Neurosis.
Review By: Andy Spoon
Fans of sludge metal will likely be pleasantly-shocked with Hypostasis, the new album from Sunniva, which is set to be released on September 19th, 2025 through Svart Records. The album as a whole is a varied experience of sludge, blackened metal, and post-rock, mixing melodic and visceral elements together in a moody, well-balanced album that absolutely draws on the violent, slamming power of the half-tempo post-black style with the dark, raw energy of contemporary sludge acts that are topping the end-of-year lists.
The main stylistic voicing that listeners will enjoy is the high-pitched screech and howl that glistens over the top of the moody rhythm section. While numerous moments give rise to alternative vocal styling, from clean, to death metal mids, even guest vocals, the overall tone seems to centrally orbit a black metal inspiration atop the sludge base layer. On some level, this could just be deemed “post-black” which seems to be an argument that one might make. However, Hypostasis seems to try and bring a little more to the table. That being said, I think that the blend of post-black and sludge will cater to either genre’s fans as it incorporates multiple inspirations.
One of my favorite elements in the melody section is the clear inspiration from Deftones’ guitar styles. There are several moments where the barely-overdriven clean-ish guitar creates a silent, but poignant anticipation for big crescendo-style crashes and waves of heavy payoffs. I think that having the up-and-down dynamic makes that entire album full of moments where the listener can engage in wonder, only able to guess where a track is going. I think that, perhaps, people who like Deftones will pick up on some of the same cues, making this an album that certainly reaches deep into the core of its audience’s repertoire. Overall, the album shines with some post-black sludge goodness that had hints of Deftones and other shoegaze influences that transcend several genres, making Hypostasis a fun listen that will probably be a popular release.
(4 / 5)
