ALBUM REVIEW: Hemisferio – Anacronía

Here I review the debut album of Chilean Heavy Metallers HEMISFERIO, set for release via Dying Victims Productions on July 8th. Time for some classic Heavy Metal!

1. Tres sombras kicks in with ripping guitar melodies, soaring vocals and an immediately lovable 80s sound with pounding drum fills and warm bass joining the hammering classic Heavy Metal attack. Atmospherically charged guitars and grooving bass over chiming drum hits make for the perfect backing to the howling melodies of the vocalist. Galloping into some nice mid-tempo assaults, the music is fun and full of a lively energy that is captured beautifully by the clear-cut production. With plenty of glorious builds, the song is exciting and punchy with such a gorgeous sense of songwriting and excellent musicianship. The haunting vocals and thunderous rhythms remain enticing as ever. There are also some unexpected doomy breaks that add variety to the song before huge lead guitar melodies protrude from them and we are even given some chilling clean guitar work. An utterly brilliant opener.
2. Las palabras ya no existen creeps in with anthemic guitars and forceful drums with plucky bass to boost the stunning rhythms before the ethereal howls of the vocalist come back. With groove, thrashing attacks and huge choruses, this piece is a mesmerising and glorious slab of ripping Heavy Metal which contains some of the most impressive old school sounds in the modern age that I have heard. The precision and execution of the band is so immense with absolutely no nuance or vibe being left forgotten, they absolutely nail it from the grinding bass solo to the ferocious riffing, glacial solos and pummelling drum fills with an instrumental foundation so strong, the vocalist has to deliver, and he does. Excellent.
3. Hasta encontrarte chimes in with more lively instrumentals, galloping bass underlaying the monolithic guitar attacks and crystalline cymbal hits. The soaring vocals come in right on quite to cascade the uniquely haunting sounds of the singer atop the booming instruments, the band evidently having a brilliant chemistry and working perfectly together and with the producer to make some crushingly anthemic Metal. I do not understand a word of the lyrics but damn this is some catchy material, perhaps the key to learning a new language. There is also some of the most impressive and melodic guitar lead work on this track, blistering away. Immense.
4. En ausencia comes in with pounding drums, melancholic guitars and chilling vocals that immediately have a somewhat sombre feel whilst remaining anthemic and fun. The upbeat yet mournful sounds the band creates remind me of Witching Hour, which is certainly a good thing. Searing leads are present for a while among the thrashing instrumental attack while the hypnotising vocals keep you in check with the melodies. The producer does an excellent job with the mix, thankfully the bass cuts nicely through to give some roaring thunder amongst the crushing drum fills, beautiful chants and fierce riff-work. Building up to full on Iron Maiden instrumentals with so much joy to be found in the bars of fantastic music, amazing work.
5. Denia Op.2 cascades in with neoclassical guitar work, totally awesome and damn impressive, a fun way to interval the album and show the insane skills of the axeman. The musicianship and hypnotic feel of this song was so over-the-top and just beautifully done, certainly the guitarists among listeners like myself shall be left in awe while the momentum of the album regrows, taking respite in some massive solo attacks from a master-shredder. Catchy, melodic and played to perfection, this was gorgeous.
6. Vestigios thunders back in with menacing bass rhythms, gorgeous vocal work, blistering riffs and decimating drums before breaking into clean guitars that are faded out under the soaring singing before kicking us back into punchy aggression, going back and forth with beautifully interwoven ballads and anthemic verses. The rise and fall effect that the song creates is really fun and volatile, unpredictability and brilliant structures really allowing the piece to shine. The galloping sections will certainly have every person in the hall headbanging and playing air guitar before we are taken back into atmospheric darkness. A well varied and unique piece. Fantastic.
7. La novela taciturna enters with chilling clean guitar work, a saddening yet tranquil beginning that truly hits you in the heart. Anthemic instruments and vocals soon soar in and swiftly drive us back into the true magnificence of 80s Heavy Metal with everybody passionately playing their instrument and singing with so much forceful skill that you cannot help but love the band. Lively and yet sombre in parts, this song is a really catchy one that blends some uniquely emotive writing work into such a well-known and loved style. There is punchiness and joy that really would bring the most cynical headbanger into the fun. Wonderful.
8. Visicitud is the second instrumental piece on the album, this one features the full band though unlike the first. Coming in with upbeat and pounding drum work layered with the catchy old school guitar and bass duo. The songwriting on this piece is like a miniature journey within the album going through the bands influences and letting the furious musicianship speak for itself and show how catchy, lively and fun they remain even without the phenomenal vocalist. There is some tinges of bands like Mercyful Fate that really come through when the instrumental song does its thing. Great stuff, certainly not an instrumental that gets boring which many people may otherwise skip.
9. Sueños de un futuro is the grand finale for the album, anticipation is high for how much of a bang they go out with. Drawing in with sleazy guitars and rumbling bass over simplistic drum work, I feel something anthemic coming. Powerful vocals quickly come in over the subtle builds of the instruments before we are brought back to ripping 80s mayhem. The track is catchy, of course and played beautifully, with a certain mournful touch due to the ending coming close. With that said, the band do an amazing job of giving one totally epic final anthem of totally pure and unadulterated Heavy Metal delights that certainly will get everyone wishing they could sing along. Well balanced with clean sections, melodic leads, sawing bass, crashing drums and gliding vocals, this finale has everything that we have discovered the band have throughout the debut, and what a way to close a phenomenal album. Magnificent.

If you want Heavy Metal to sound how did back in the beginning, to be transported back to the early 80s and enjoy gorgeous music filled with nuance, skill and melody, then this album is a must. Some of the most convincingly brilliant classic Metal worship I have heard in quite some time. Gorgeously performed, leaving no stone unturned. -9/10