French 4-piece progressive metal act Hacride are back with their fourth full length release, the intriguingly titled Back To Where You’ve Never Been (Indie Recordings). It’s a title which, according to the band’s bio, represents “a transitional phase”. The band have certainly evolved over the years and, with any luck, this willingness to change should help them to avoid the inevitable comparisons with fellow countrymen Gojira soon enough.
Already, much has been made of new vocalist Luiss Roux‘s style and delivery. Whilst it does pander to the very much in fashion – and very much malligned – screaming/singing/screaming again formula, this is not a problem in and of itself, and will really only concern those arrogant, elitist types who tend to judge a work on its form rather than its content. In fact, unlike many vocalists employing this approach, Roux’s clean singing is actually very well performed, and embellished with plenty of dynamic, melodic power and the occasional Alice In Chains style harmony. The overall effect is often quite pleasing.
But Luiss Roux is only one quarter of the band, so what have the others come up with? Well, Back To Where You’ve Never Been is certainly an enjoyable album, and not an overly technical one, which could easily put a lot of listeners off. The progressive elements seem to manifest themselves more in sonic, textural terms, with ominous and atmospheric keyboard arrangements being weaved in and out of the songs throughout, and perhaps at their most inventive on the instrumental track ‘To Numb The Pain’. Technical elements are used more sparingly, and it’s only really during odd passages from the likes of ‘Edification Of The Fall’ where things get more overtly technical and djenty. Elsewhere, the guitars are melodic and inventive, whilst maintaining a degree of heaviness, at times closer to Tool than Gojira.
Since the emergence of the CD format, and now in the age of mass digital downloading, albums tend to be long, drawn-out affairs. Though certainly not always a bad thing, it can mean a lot of filler. Fortunately, at 40 minutes in length, Back To Where You’ve Never Been is not likely to outstay its welcome. Instead, it does what it needs to do in a concise and satisfying manner. That said, the listener is left wondering what other tricks Hacride have up their collective sleeve. If this is the band in transition, it’s impossible not to question where they are headed, and perhaps they would be better of further embracing the inventive and evocative guitar and keyboard textures rather than the current trend for cold, mathematical wizardry.
7/10
Matt Ford