The first few records that a band release early in their career are always a bit touch-and-go as the musicians involved figure out their sound, perfect their formula, and gain confidence in their individual and collective skills. This is no different for Slovenian post-metal band HEI’AN, who – after taking the metal scene by storm with debut album “imago” in 2022 and many impressive live performances since – have recently released their sophomore album, “Kiss Our Ghosts Goodbye,” out now via Blood Blast Distribution.
In the three years that have passed between releases, HEI’AN have grown teeth, and the band are not afraid to bite as this new record is definitely heavier and more distorted than their debut record was. Their sound has evolved in leaps and bounds, and it’s wilder yet more sophisticated than I could have ever imagined it to possibly be. If singles like intense “Make Me Want to Leave You,” catchy “What Do You Have to Save?,” or heavy “To Let You Down” to some extent still carry the same hazy atmosphere, the same balanced mix of melodic cleans and harsh vocals, and solid instrumental side (the bass lines are delicious) that permeated through “imago,” it is the modern-sounding “What a Shame” that confidently veers into other territories. This one is a monster of a track, as not even halfway through it, we are served with a breakdown to rattle our bones before settling into a melodic rhythm carried by layers of dark electronic that somehow circles back to another bone-rattling breakdown that is superbly accompanied by Aljaz Novak’s deep growls. This shows that HEI’AN can do metalcore alongside their more proggy-oriented stuff, as the final breakdown of the song is absolutely massive.
Elsewhere in the album, “My Harness” is a very interesting track that ebbs and flows between mellow parts and more distorted, angry passages that shouldn’t go together as well as they do. It also boasts one of the heaviest breakdowns on this album, and the way it simply jumps into it, without slowly building to it, makes it feel way heavier than it would have been otherwise. This track alone showcases how incredibly tight the band’s songcraft is and how technically proficient they are as musicians to pull it off without a hitch. On both these songs – “My Harness” and “What a Shame” – new band member Aljaz Novak showcases his deep growls, which not just juxtapose nicely with Matic Blagonič’s melodic cleans but also complement the intensity of the instrumental sides. He’s a really great addition to the band. Latest single released, “Liberated,” mixes electro-pop with post-metal in a metal track that would make a band like AMARANTHE proud. It’s a catchy, fun, poppy, and uplifting song underpinned by some great, bouncy melodies and even greater, heavier parts spearheaded by guitars and harsh vocals.
I mentioned something about their prog-oriented stuff earlier, and “Dearest” masterfully combines polyrhythms with melodic vocal lines, a thundering rhythm section, and it even has some harsh vocals thrown in for good measure. It’s another beast of a track with an emotional layer to the complex instrumental passages. “Beneath the Sinking Moon” continues on the same proggy path but with a more metal edge to it that complements its darkwave ambiance and synth-laden backdrop. The fact that they can have so many influences in a single song, yet still have it sound coherent, is a mark of good songwriters who like to experiment and push their sound in many directions. Speaking of, “Undertow” grows and morphs from a serene, ethereal first part marked by tinkling synths and soothing vocals to a heavy mid part dominated by Aljaz Novak’s deep growls and that beautiful, catchy chorus section, while the final part is about as intense as the rhythm allows it to be.
Long story short, “Kiss Our Ghosts Goodbye” is a nice level-up from HEI’AN’s debut effort, while the added extreme metal elements are incorporated pretty well into their sound. They still need to refine their formula as some parts are a bit rough around the edges, but the quality in songwriting and delivery makes it easier to look past these minor imperfections. That being said, the metalcore parts slap big time, the melodic parts are smooth and really enjoyable, the electronic layers add depth and texture to the songs, while the two vocalists’ trade-offs are intense, so there’s plenty to enjoy. “Kiss Our Ghosts Goodbye” also works well as an introduction to the band, so if you’re new to HEI’AN, this is a good starting point to jump on the proverbial bandwagon.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
- Aberration
- My Harness
- What a Shame
- To Let You Down
- Dearest
- Beneath the Sinking Moon
- Undertow
- Make Me Want to Leave You
- Liberated
- What Do You Have to Save?
Lineup
- Matic Blagonič – clean vocals
- Aljaz Novak – distorted vocals
- Matevž Počič – guitar
- Peter Smrdel – bass, synth
- Gaj Bostič – drums
Label
Blood Blast Distribution
