2024-01-26 07:00:24
Hiraes – Dormant
Origin: Deutschland
Release: 26.01.2024
Label: Napalm Records
Duration: 45:44
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
The Osnabrück/Hannover melodic death metal formation Hiraeswhich consists of former members of Dawn of Disease and Critical Mess exists, gives us the follow-up to their acclaimed debut album this month Solitarywhich was released in 2021.
The new album is true to the name Dormantwas by Jens Bogren and Ricardo Borges mixed and then from Jens Bogren in the Swedish Fascination Street Studios gemastert.
Through the Storm lives up to its name, as it gets off to a really tough start straight away! If you fight your way through a thunderstorm of clacking double bass, blast beats and the like in the verse, it becomes beautifully melodic in the bridge and chorus. Britta Goertz‘ powerful and variable growl vocals, the lady is a professional and even gives lessons in guttural singing, fit perfectly with the riff tornado, and the melodic solos are reminiscent of genre greats like Arch Enemy remember.
The video for this is available HERE.
It’s a little bit catchier and rockier We Owe No One Furthermore, the song is a real hit not only because of the catchy vocals but also because of the excellent guitar work, and I could easily imagine it as a sing-along highlight of a live set, amazing! There is an audio sample HERE.
Ocean child of old gods
Undercurrent begins beautifully epically in mid-tempo, turns into a gentle acoustic part, and Britta shows that she also cuts a good figure when singing clearly. After that, things get going again, and the anthemic chorus simply captivates you with its fervor!
Chance to Fail shoots forward well again, About Lies reminds a little of the divine Dark Tranquillity and Come Alive serves as a prelude to the almost post-black metallic Ocean Child. This song covers a wide range of melodic aggression, from harsh blast beat passages, to black metal guitars, to thrilling mid-tempo epics. Another highlight!
Clearly at eye level!
Hiraes also record Nightflight Don’t take your foot off the accelerator, but instead blast us at high speed with a nasty, thrashy lump of rage that, despite everything, has great guitar harmonies. Fat! Red Soil begins with a spoken word intro, then briefly slides back into melodic black metal before the tempo is slowed down and Britta lets her impressive organ sound over war drums. Interesting song, especially because of the tempo changes.
Finally comes the title track Dormantwhich starts off softly at first, but then kicks off with these beautiful Scandinavian melodies over frenzied drum parts that kick off once again Stay and his boys from Dark Tranquillity remember. The chorus is terrific, vocals, strings and drums act at a top level, and Hiraes easily play themselves in the same league as the famous Swedish pioneers of the genre.
Conclusion
I’ve been waiting for an album like this this month! Hiraes do on their second album Dormant everything is perfect and deliver a great contender for album of the year! This is what Melodic Death Metal should sound like, with still enough aggression and nastiness alongside the excellent melodies and an exceptional frontwoman! That’s why I give you the full ones 10 / 10
Line Up
Christian Wösten – Bass
Oliver Kirchner – guitar
Britta Görtz – vocals
Lukas Kerk – Guitar
Mathias Blässe – drums
Tracklist
01. Through The Storm
02. We Owe No One
03. Undercurrent
04. Chance To Fail
05. About Lies
06. Come Alive
07. Ocean Child
08. Nightflight
09. Red Soil
10. Dormant
Links
Facebook Hiraes
Hiraes website
Also on Soundmagnet.eu
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