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By JEFF MAKI
The name Himsa translates to “living life with the most amount of harm and evil possible,” which is a perfect description of their new album, Summon In Thunder.
Himsa's previous release, Courting Tragedy and Disaster, was built on sheer aggression, giving the listener no time to breathe. Many critics and fans have labeled the band “metalcore” and even if that's what you want to call them, they still are one of the fastest and most violent breeds around. Summon in Thunder builds upon Courting Tragedy by upping the ante in several areas of their sound. Lead vocalist John Pettibone's throaty roar reminds me of Anders Friden's (In Flames) old style of growls. Original guitarist Sami Curr has rejoined the band for this release, and his melodic playing, as well as guitarist Kirby Johnson's, lends hints of Swedish metal such as In Flames and Dark Tranquility. The dueling guitars stand out and add a needed depth to the raw, savage sound that was lacking on the last album.
Despite the above qualities of this release, Himsa still has some minor flaws. Though Pettibone is a perfect extreme or thrash metal vocalist, his vocals are one dimensional and lack spark or staying power; they're merely barked and growled along with the thrashing riffs. Most of the 11 songs are at high octane, save for a few moments of slower tempo, causing several songs together. The lyrics are in the "take-no-prisoners" vein, but memorable parts are limited.
Himsa have improved, and they continue to become more sinister and ferocious with each release. They have been at it since 1998 and seem poised for a monster of a record at some point in their career. Summon in Thunder has the potential to give the band even longer staying power, but Himsa's career defining album is still yet to come.
For fans of The Haunted, Hatesphere, Shadows Fall, Bleeding Through, Slayer, As I Lay Dying. |
