NEBULAE

With Nebulae, Hemina build upon and polish the strong foundation of progressive metal that was their debut album Synthetic while progressing their sound in almost every way. The result is a heartfelt and accomplished record that further cements their position as a premier Australian progressive metal band.

Immediately noticeable is the improved production of the album. Every instrument is given room to breathe and the result is a rich, lush and downright pleasurable album to listen to. The rhythm section in particular is a vast improvement, exposing the girth and groove that was hinted at in the band's songwriting and live performances but was let down by the production of the first album.

The improved aural dynamics of the album accompany a diversifying of stylistic influences that fed the songwriting process, most noticeably djent and funk. These styles are blended artfully into the core of the bands signature sound and exemplified in the song 'Lust'. The courting of the djent genre might evoke fear that the band is pandering to a larger audience, but the band easily dispel such fears through the way they have incorporated the rhythmic strength of the genre with the melodic technicality they are known for.

The vocal performances of the band have also been polished to nigh perfection. The tendency towards the over-use of power metal theatrics from the first album has been reined in and this, along with the absence of death-metal growls that infrequently appeared on their earlier record, creates a sincere and emotive vocal effort and increases the dramatic effect of the occasions that the extremities of the singer's vocal range are utilised. The increased use of female vocals enriches the sound further, drawing comparisons to the likes of Anathema especially during 'Soulmates'.

There is no such thing as a perfect album, and unfortunately this holds true for Nebulae. While overall the record comes across as heartfelt and natural there are a few stylistic choices that detract from this feeling, particularly the vocal delivery for the early verses of 'Lust'. While all the vocals are technically still expertly executed on this song, the vocal styling for these verses is one of the few times it feels as though the band is trying to forcefully incorporate the styling of another genre.

Despite a few (admittedly subjective) disagreements with some of the newer elements of Hemina's songwriting the album remains in my opinion a masterpiece of progressive metal comparable in quality to not only the work of premier Australian acts such as Voyager and Caligula's Horse, but to any international progressive metal band.

4.5/5