CoC : Hypnotheticall - In Need of a God? : Review

Hypnotheticall - _In Need of a God?_
by: Brian Meloon (4.5 out of 5)

This young (ages 20 to 22) Italian five-piece have put together a very impressive demo. They label their style "progressive thrash metal", and this seems an adequate description. The music is generally mid-tempo thrash, with plenty of melody and changes to keep things interesting. They go through a lot of different styles, including jazz/fusion (most similar to their countrymen Ledel [CoC #23, #31]), light progressive metal, melodic power metal, and many others. Somehow, they're able to switch between these different styles in such a way that the transitions don't sound forced. Aside from the impressive songwriting, the music contains a lot of cool passages, mostly coming from their mixing of different tempos and/or styles to create original sounds. However, some of the best sections on the disc are also some of the least innovative ones, such as when the band focuses on producing a memorable hook amid the experimental and progressive sections. The playing is is quite good, as they handle all of the different styles and tempos with remarkable composure. There are a few sections where they're not as tight as they could be, but these places are the exception, and are forgivable given that this is a demo. In addition, while the music isn't insanely technical, it clearly does require a good deal of technical skill, and the band pull off all of the more difficult sections with ease. The vocals are very distinctive. The main vocal style is a very laid-back clean style, which sounds vaguely "alternative", but I can't seem to place my finger on who exactly they sound like. Unfortunately, the vocals are also the main weakness of this demo. There are several places where they just don't sound quite right. In some cases, this is because the laid-back style clashes discordantly with the frantic music. At other times, the vocals are noticeably flat (which is odd because many similar passages sound fine). However, many of the vocal parts are harmonized, which helps to cover the weaknesses of the vocals themselves. In addition, there are a couple sections with harsher shouted vocals, which fit the music quite well. In the future, a little bit more of a mix of the lighter and heavier vocal styles might be a good idea. It's too bad the vocals have to drag down some sections, because I generally like them, and they are a key element of the band's unique sound. Overall, this is an interesting demo from a promising band. They're not "there" yet, but they've developed their own style, and they should be worth watching in the years to come, as they clearly have some excellent ideas.

Contact: http://www.hypnotheticall.com

(article published 31/3/2003)