Review in GARM Akt 2 (Kap.2) - German
fanzine – to be published in December 2014
Original source: http://hessheavymetal.blogspot.com.ar/2014/11/hess-hagalaz-review-by-wwolf-german.html
English translation by Melani Hess
HESS is a Classic Heavy Metal band from Argentina, and
before any politically correct “do-gooder” shits in his own pants due to the
band’s name, here’s a warning: your diapers may remain clean, for the name
simply comes from the singer’s surname. We shall deal with Miss Hess later on.
Some influences HESS has are: KING DIAMOND, DIO, IRON
MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, among other similar ones, as well as more contemporary
bands. If you want to take into account the influences of the band’s founding
member and singer appealing to a close resemblance to NIGHTWISH (considering
that it’s about an opera singer), this wouldn’t be quite so, for her singing is
as hard at times as it is lively, up to the point of bordering on the classic
sound of a ‘Teutonic Heavy Metal’.
Hagalaz is an album of about 60 minutes, whose title
has been taken from the Rune of the same name (warning, “do-gooders” –
clarification), and it consists of nine songs of their own plus a cover song of
JOAN BAEZ/JUDAS PRIEST.
The album starts with “Blood & Iron”, a song that
is at the same level than Rock 'n' Rolf Kasparek from RUNNING WILD. The
relatively high lead voice is very clear, and as stated previously, it reminds
more or less of NIGHTWISH like the rest of the work. This, let me be clear, is
a personal opinion.
“The Hessian” is the second song and there are two
guest vocalists. Musically, it is a song that calls to mind the old 80’s IRON
MAIDEN.
It is followed by the really good “Clarisse’s
Nightmare”; song of about 6 minutes. It starts off very quiet and develops,
after about two minutes, towards the lines of the first two songs. Contrary to
these latter, the voice is not that high.
Song number 4 carries a title in German: "Der
Teufel und sein Lehrling" (The Devil and his Apprentice), a total
surprise. The interesting text includes the lines: “The war we will win, the
Holy Lance we must find, the singers sing to the moon, in honour of the master
race.” And towards the end: “The Devil does not forgive, after death we will
live, before my Lord, I know, he sets me free. I regret nothing.”
“The Giant” is dedicated to the memory of RONNIE JAMES
DIO and has been written entirely in his name. This six-minute song reminds
musically and completely of DIO, even in the female voice.
“Interpretación” has been composed in Spanish, about
which I cannot give an opinion, except that it is a song of Classic Heavy
Metal.
“Sailor’s Cross” is the seventh song. It arrives with
the typical strength of a Classic and Teutonic metal, in the style of old bands
such as RUNNING WILD. The lyrics allude to the true story about the
confrontation between the US and the URSS in 1962.
Also about a real event is the eighth song: “Perpetual
Flight”, which retells the story of a loyal man who sets out on a flight
towards a distant and strange land, where he is imprisoned and sentenced to 46
years in jail until he is murdered. Musically speaking, it is very similar to
the previous songs.
“Boleskine House”, the longest song of the album with
more than eight-minute duration, is absolutely a classic song of Heavy Metal,
with one or various guitar solos. Here, the lead vocals are again accompanied
by another male voice, which makes it validly richer in musical composition.
The last song is a cover of JOAN BAEZ: “Diamonds and
Rust”, also covered by JUDAS PRIEST. He who knows the song knows what could be
expected. Here you will find a quiet ballad with a high-pitched female voice.
Although I am no (longer a) big fan of Heavy Metal
(was I ever?), “Hagalaz”, HESS’s debut album, is an exceptional Heavy Metal
band in every sense of the word. Therefore, due to the fact that Miss Hess
possesses a high vocal range, it turns out pleasant to listen to for those who
enjoy this vocalization type. The search for a similarity with NIGHTWISH could
be, as was previously emphasized, available and justified, since the singer has
been in a Nightwish cover band. With or without the Finnish influence, the
music of HESS is a hundred per cent more honest and doesn’t have, from head to
toe, anything tacky.
As an additional conformation of the album, we must
say that it has a fantastic and dreamlike cover art. For the time being, the
album is available only in digital version.
Contact information of the band’s frontwoman Hess: www.melanihess.com (the
site is in Spanish, English and German), or the e-mail: melanihess@hotmail.com
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