The i 31 May 2016

Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional is the seventh full-length studio album by American rock band The Dear Hunter. It was released on September 9, 2016 via Cave and Canary Goods and Equal Vision Records. The album is the fifth installment in a six-part series. It follows the conclusion of Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise, in which the story's main character is confronted by his nemesis and forced into blackmail.

The pop duo phenomenon that spawned such acts as Simon & Garfunkel, Brewer & Shipley, and Seals & Crofts was predated by the duo formed by songwriters, guitarists, and vocalists Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle. Initially attracting attention as songwriters of Dean Ford & the Gaylords' single "Mr. Heartbreak's Here Instead," Gallagher and Lyle went on to record as a duo and as members of McGuinness Flint and Ronnie Lane's group Slim Chance…

Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Martin Hughes-Games kick off an action-packed wildlife extravaganza, live from RSPB Minsmere reserve in Suffolk. Iolo Williams is on the Farne Islands in Northumberland, the UK's answer to the Galapagos, and his home for the next three weeks. Unsprung prepended to each episode.

Numerous superlatives apply to the craft that the Dear Hunter's Casey Crescenzo has perfected on his ambitious six-part Acts series. On penultimate installment Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional, Crescenzo continues the epic story of the titular character (aka "The Boy") that ominously ended in Act IV with the protagonist at the mercy of the main antagonist, the Priest/Pimp. The narrative remains dense and there's a lot to unpack (multiple callbacks to early motifs and melodies abound), but ultimately, it's a rich experience for those willing to take the plunge. For outsiders, this may seem daunting, but fortunately, the music is as rewarding as the complex events layered within, with tastes of Sufjan Stevens, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, and Silverchair providing just a few reference points…

Numerous superlatives apply to the craft that the Dear Hunter's Casey Crescenzo has perfected on his ambitious six-part Acts series. On penultimate installment Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional, Crescenzo continues the epic story of the titular character (aka "The Boy") that ominously ended in Act IV with the protagonist at the mercy of the main antagonist, the Priest/Pimp. The narrative remains dense and there's a lot to unpack (multiple callbacks to early motifs and melodies abound), but ultimately, it's a rich experience for those willing to take the plunge. For outsiders, this may seem daunting, but fortunately, the music is as rewarding as the complex events layered within, with tastes of Sufjan Stevens, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, and Silverchair providing just a few reference points…