Label - Klonosphere Records
Release Date- 3rd March 2023
Words - Chris Fletcher
On the face of it, it's difficult to imagine the sound of post-progressive metal, but that is the moniker that French outfit HamaSaari have chosen to describe themselves with. After one listen however, it becomes clear exactly what they are going for with this. Born from the ashes of their previous band, this five-piece and their debut album are ready to provide a tumultuous experience that will leave you clamouring for a return trip.
First off it must be said that to get the best out of this record it is definitely worth breaking out the good headphones, for the little flourishes and swirling atmospherics that permeate throughout are an essential enhancement that truly add extra layers that you do not want to miss. Additional instrumentation such as Rhodes pianos, Hammond Organs and Mellotrons really decorate these seven tracks and bring them to life in a way that wouldn’t be possible with your standard rock instrumentation.
In addition to these touches of finesse, one of the highlights of the record are the vocals of Jordan Jupin. Clean throughout and treated with just the right amount of reverb, they coexist with a plethora of arpeggiated guitar parts that create a real sense of serenity and longing, which is often brought crashing down into melancholy as the tracks play out. In addition to this, the polyrhythmic drum parts mixed with a lovely bass tone underpin the soaring trebles achieved elsewhere and really complete the package.
If there is one criticism, albeit minor, it is that some of the tracks do follow a similar pattern in terms of a clean intro before building to a crescendo, however when it is done to a standard such as this you don’t pay much attention to such trivial details, as there is enough going on within the songs themselves to provide variation.
Taking influence from bands like Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree (with a splash of Tool for good measure) fans of the more progressive end of musical spectrum will find plenty to dig into here, and fans of Karnivool should be well in their element. The meticulous attention to songwriting detail, born out of the way the band transitions between the dark and the light, is the true triumph of the record and one that shows an exciting level of potential, especially for a debut record. This is definitely a band to watch going forward.
8/10
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