Hailmary
One of the coolest things about working in the world of reviews is the number of submissions that arrive by post, each one being almost like a little Christmas present, wrapped in an envelope and not giving away what it is until the moment you break into said packaging – so when I received a package from Australia the other day, I was intrigued to see what was inside. Opening the packaging, I was presented with Choice, Path, Consequence, Solution, the debut album from Perth based Hailmary, an album produced by none other than Jeff Tomei (Jerry Cantrell, Smashing Pumpkins, Corrosion Of Conformity) and an album that’s already being hailed by the press as a hell of a record. With a genre described as ‘hard rock’, and a view to take over the world with their signature sound, Hailmary are primed for world domination, already getting serious airplay across the US as well as the UK and Europe, suggesting that now is the time to jump on board, check things out, and join the band on their quest.
Opening with title track Choice-Path-Consequence-Solution we’re led softly into the opening moments of things, a soft guitar line paving the way for the vocals to fade in, soothing you into the album but suggesting that there’s more power to come, the guys are just biding their time. Growing as it progresses, the track seems to grow around you, offering up tastes of what’s to come through the deep rhythm tones, the melodic guitar and vocal combination and the haunting yet appealing approach which is prevalent throughout. Acting almost as an intro track, we’re soon launched out of our calm into Yellow Light Of Death, a track which takes the opening moments and smashes them to pieces with distortion, gravelly vocal lines and hammering rhythms. Powerful and packed with a groove orientated approach that’s sure to get you moving along, joining in and begging for more, this sudden revelation of power from the guys demonstrates that we’re dealing with a band who understand their craft, understand their approach, and are primed to take on the world with their sound. Heavy without going over the top, this is a hell of an introduction to a band, and a track which sets the album up very nicely indeed.
Slowing things down for Control Freak, once again the band show us another side to their approach, taking the hard hitting approach but accentuating it further through the drop in pace, showing that sometimes, if you want to really pack a punch then this is the way to do it. Even going so far as to add in a soaring and catchy chorus, this is one which is perfectly crafted for the live scene, the sort of thing that’s sure to get people chanting, singing, joining in, the sort of thing that’s going to build Hailmary a hell of a reputation as a band to keep an eye on. The same sort of approach signals the opening of Reminiscence, hammering into being with distortion packed elements before once again, pulling back from the edge as the vocals come into being. Packed with hooks from start to finish, this is another track built to get people involved, a track designed to showcase the ability and understanding of the band, something that’s done with aplomb. Refusing to follow convention through the track, this is hard rock but done in the bands own signature way, taking the genre and pushing it to a whole new level.
Continuing their distorted yet well considered rampage through Wake Up (another track to make sure you check out – showing their Alice In Chains style influences!), Running Away, Two Wrongs, Yesterday’s Friend, Weighing You Down and Monday Mundane there’s no riff out of place, no drum out of sync, and no moment that doesn’t fit – it’s like a masterclass on how to do hard rock and do it well. Shifting their style once again for The Way It Is the guys continue to push the boundaries of the album, showcasing their own style whilst at the same time, managing to differentiate from approach to approach, this time slowing things down to an almost ballad like approach. Soothing and melodic throughout, the calming approach which runs through this track is the sort of thing that’s sure to hook you in, revealing a softer side, but still managing to keep you aware of who you’re listening to.
With only Self(Descructive) Made Man left to close the album, the album come to a close in the way you’d expect, packing a hell of a punch and leaving you with a serious taste for what you’ve just heard. Powerful, groove orientated riffs abound as the chunky rhythm section backs everything up, keeping the vocals centred around the gravelly approach whilst still offering up a serious dose of melody to keep you singing along and joining in. It’s the old cliché of closing on a high, but the guys do it, and do it damned well.
Hailmary don’t do themselves justice with their description of their music as quite simply, this is more than just hard rock. What’s on offer here is a band who have taken music, made it their own, and come up with an album that’s going to keep you hooked from start to finish. Intricate yet accessible throughout, this is music that packs a punch, sooths the soul and reminds you of why you started listening in the first place.
To find out more about Hailmary, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening with title track Choice-Path-Consequence-Solution we’re led softly into the opening moments of things, a soft guitar line paving the way for the vocals to fade in, soothing you into the album but suggesting that there’s more power to come, the guys are just biding their time. Growing as it progresses, the track seems to grow around you, offering up tastes of what’s to come through the deep rhythm tones, the melodic guitar and vocal combination and the haunting yet appealing approach which is prevalent throughout. Acting almost as an intro track, we’re soon launched out of our calm into Yellow Light Of Death, a track which takes the opening moments and smashes them to pieces with distortion, gravelly vocal lines and hammering rhythms. Powerful and packed with a groove orientated approach that’s sure to get you moving along, joining in and begging for more, this sudden revelation of power from the guys demonstrates that we’re dealing with a band who understand their craft, understand their approach, and are primed to take on the world with their sound. Heavy without going over the top, this is a hell of an introduction to a band, and a track which sets the album up very nicely indeed.
Slowing things down for Control Freak, once again the band show us another side to their approach, taking the hard hitting approach but accentuating it further through the drop in pace, showing that sometimes, if you want to really pack a punch then this is the way to do it. Even going so far as to add in a soaring and catchy chorus, this is one which is perfectly crafted for the live scene, the sort of thing that’s sure to get people chanting, singing, joining in, the sort of thing that’s going to build Hailmary a hell of a reputation as a band to keep an eye on. The same sort of approach signals the opening of Reminiscence, hammering into being with distortion packed elements before once again, pulling back from the edge as the vocals come into being. Packed with hooks from start to finish, this is another track built to get people involved, a track designed to showcase the ability and understanding of the band, something that’s done with aplomb. Refusing to follow convention through the track, this is hard rock but done in the bands own signature way, taking the genre and pushing it to a whole new level.
Continuing their distorted yet well considered rampage through Wake Up (another track to make sure you check out – showing their Alice In Chains style influences!), Running Away, Two Wrongs, Yesterday’s Friend, Weighing You Down and Monday Mundane there’s no riff out of place, no drum out of sync, and no moment that doesn’t fit – it’s like a masterclass on how to do hard rock and do it well. Shifting their style once again for The Way It Is the guys continue to push the boundaries of the album, showcasing their own style whilst at the same time, managing to differentiate from approach to approach, this time slowing things down to an almost ballad like approach. Soothing and melodic throughout, the calming approach which runs through this track is the sort of thing that’s sure to hook you in, revealing a softer side, but still managing to keep you aware of who you’re listening to.
With only Self(Descructive) Made Man left to close the album, the album come to a close in the way you’d expect, packing a hell of a punch and leaving you with a serious taste for what you’ve just heard. Powerful, groove orientated riffs abound as the chunky rhythm section backs everything up, keeping the vocals centred around the gravelly approach whilst still offering up a serious dose of melody to keep you singing along and joining in. It’s the old cliché of closing on a high, but the guys do it, and do it damned well.
Hailmary don’t do themselves justice with their description of their music as quite simply, this is more than just hard rock. What’s on offer here is a band who have taken music, made it their own, and come up with an album that’s going to keep you hooked from start to finish. Intricate yet accessible throughout, this is music that packs a punch, sooths the soul and reminds you of why you started listening in the first place.
To find out more about Hailmary, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls