HIBRIA
“XX”
Review By Iron Mathew
8/10
Hibria are a heavy metal band from Brazil formed in 1996 who released two demos (in 1997 and 1999) before releasing their debut album in 2004. Four more albums, a live album and live video over the next ten years, with their sixth album, the self titled ‘Hibria’, a 2015 release. Now celebrating 20 years as a band, Hibria have released ‘XX’ as a special anniversary gift for all their fans. The mini album contains three new songs and four live recordings.
When you first hear ‘XX’ you will think you have been given the wrong record, as a distinctly bluesy introduction emerges from the speakers, leading to a jazz kind of solo before increasing the pace, turning more melodic, yet the vocal delivery remains slightly blues based too. With a twenty year career behind them, it is great to still hear a band experiment with their sound and not just rely on past glories. That said, ‘Music’ has the signature Hibria sound written all over it. Ferocious drumming and bass lines, a hard kicking and punchy rhythm, with a more in your face attitude. Head banging is very much the order of the day here. Rattling like a machine gun, ‘Fool’s Paradise’ is given life and stomps off menacingly. The buzzing guitar sound gives a subtle nod to the NWOBHM and the galloping rhythm moves the song along at a mid to high tempo pace. This is cracking, hard rocking, melodic heavy metal.
The remainder of the album contains four songs recorded live on 15th November 2015 at the Teatro CIEE in Porto Alegre in the band’s home country of Brazil. The four songs span the bands twenty year career and kicks off with ‘Silent Revenge’ and ‘Lonely Fight’ (from their 2013 album ‘Silent Revenge’). ‘Silent Revenge’ is fast paced heavy metal and is a corker to open a show with. Add gruff backing vocals and a crowd rousing performance from the band’s lead singer and founding member Iuri Sanson, Hibria know how to please an audience. ‘Lonely Fight’ is much heavier and blazes a trail of fire as it speeds off. Years of experience and playing together (although the band do have a new bass player), shows as the live performance is faultless.
‘Tightrope’, from the band’s self titled album released in 2015, gives the audience a perfect reason to head bang. Pace, power and an infectious rhythm ‘Tightrope’ is a sparkling example of melodic power metal. Note perfect, Hibria execute the song perfectly. and show just how great a band they are. ‘Tiger Punch’ from the band’s 2008 album ‘The Skull Collectors’ is a thrash metal tinged power metal song that cuts a brutal path across the airwaves. The fastest song out of the four live recordings on offer, ‘Tiger Punch’ is played at breath taking speed and will have fans head banging furiously. What is next for Hibria I don’t know, but on the evidence of this mini album, they are no where near finished…
Overall, three new songs & four live recordings, a display of just how good the band are live and also their willingness to still experiment with their sound on the new songs.
TRACKLIST
Leading Lady
Music
Fool’s Paradise
Silent Revenge (Live)
Lonely Fight (Live)
Tightrope (Live)
Tiger Punch (Live)
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