VENUS

Theres something in the Aussies' water. I have to admit that I have been completely bored by prog metal in the last few years but somehow I seem to enjoy each of these Hemina albums more than the last. They are in great company with bands like Glass Ocean, Caligulas Horse, Voyager and sleepmakeswaves in that they approach their genre with grace and a freshness which must be from the distance from everywhere else. High Kite Ride is the one of the songs of the year with a great balance between instrumentals and melodic vocals with not much screaming (thank god). The album sounds like modern groove based prog metal but it's almost like a softer version. Think Periphery or Meshuggah in some of the riffs but with a touch of Dream Theatre with more melody and solos. Best prog metal album this year for sure.