For a band composed of members of other prog bands, creating something more melodic based in the post-hardcore-meets-hard-rock project, Black Map was something not entirely expected over a decade ago. Now three albums into the band’s career, and the band have made huge strides, having the technicality of their previous progressive bands and bringing it into a whole new scene, Black Map captured something new. For Hex (Spinefarm Records), the trio went in a more upfront approach to the creation process. While a complete U-turn from their previous album, how will this fare for the new release? 

When the band were going for an urgent, headstrong approach to Hex, they were not joking around, the trio launched immediately with this heavy bending riff, reminiscent of the likes of new-era Thrice and Cave In. Ben Flanagan’s voice soars wonderfully over the rapture of the punk-rock style music, defiantly shouting out the song’s title, “Disintegrate!, Dissociate!” It’s enough to send a curious audience into a frenzied mix of dancing, moshing, and jumping around to the melody of this banger of an opening track. 

The hooks on the choruses for Hex are on another level, the title track encapsulates this to a t, with Flanagan’s vocals soar perfectly through the rhythms produced by the guitars, displaying an exemplary range, There’s elements from the early aughts scene, like Hundred Reasons, whilst also something that makes the track feel a whole lot more contemporary, with some comparisons to bands like Trophy Eyes being able to be made easily. 

It is clear to hear the prog backgrounds from the band members’ previous works in the skill shown within the instrumentation of the music. For anyone who didn’t know, the music sounds like it’s coming from a much larger band than the 3 performing, so many intricate layers behind the vocals create this very full sound, as if the group have an additional 2-3 people performing alongside them. “Price to Fix It” demonstrates this perfectly with its use of an array of clean guitar tones and distorted sounds, the band produce an almost Muse sounding ambience to the piece as Flanagan wields his inner Bellamy in the chorus. 

Closing on the ninth track, the album almost feels cut short, as if there was scope for a longer album. The closing song, “Fake Your Own Life” pulls off the last bombastic trick for a finale to the album, loud guitars with an equally in-your-face drumbeat that will have entire audiences moving. Regardless of how good the track is, once the instruments fade away into the blur, there’s a feeling of needing more, whether a bad thing for the album or a good thing for the band is for the fans to decide.

In bringing this whole new style of songwriting and attempt at a whole new urgent, upfront vibe for Hex, Black Map have gone a step further in creating not only great post-hardcore music but great rock music too, with comparisons to massive bands like Muse as well as other artists like Thrice and Trophy Eyes to be made, it’s clear that the band are heading in the right directions, while still having an individual sound amongst these peers. The longing for more can only be described as a good thing, and hopefully, the band will return soon with another selection of rock songs in the near future. 

Buy the album here:
https://black-map.lnk.to/Hex

8 / 10
CHARLIE HILL
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