Hemesath - 2022 - So Schön

(40:55; Echozone)

Track list:
1. Heile Segen 3:56
2. Elysium 4:16
3. Die Stadt Verbrennt 4:17
4. Tanz 4:31
5. Flieg 5:53
6. Schattenseele 3:13
7. Dies Eine Leben 3:55
8. So Schön 5:26
9. Bleib Bei Mir 5:28

Line-up:
Christopher Zumbült - vocals
Andre Rasfeld - guitars
Viktor Wagner - guitars
Peter Bernhardt - bass
Frank Schoppengerd - drums
with:
Nils Weise - keyboards
Dieter Kozak - keyboards
Rolf Kesting - keyboards
Lara Langguth-Zumbült - vocals


German band Hemesath has a history that dates back to 2012 or thereabouts, and they made their debut with the EP "Rot, So Rot" back in 2013, with the album "Für Euch" appearing two years later. Following an extended hiatus as a recording unit the band returned with the album "So Schön" in the fall of 2022, released through German label Echozone.

This is an album that does explore a fair bit of ground, and as an album experience it is one that kind of falls between a number of different territories as a whole. If one should define any specific style here, I'd go for atmospheric laden metal. But this is the type of album that probably can be defined in a couple of different manners too.

Passages sporting an often dampened guitar foundation with a tendency for the metal to shine through, backed by careful keyboards, synthesizer or piano, is a recurring trait here. Sometimes in the guise of a more majestic, slower paced type of metal, on other occasions with a more toned down hard rock orientation, with the third main variety being a more electronic or industrial tinged take on metal of a kind and nature that comes with associations towards bands like Rammstein.

Many of the songs will typically feature two or three different arrangements throughout the compositions, of which one tends to be gentler in mood, mode and spirit. These parts range from acoustic or semiacoustic rock in style to more careful excursions with vocals and piano, keyboards or synthesizers as the main or sole instrument companion to the vocals. We also get a couple of songs here that come across as slight revisions of the good, old power ballad, and also songs where the band flirts ever so slightly with doom metal in one case and power metal in another.

The vocals are interesting throughout the album, alternating between a dark spoken like voice and a more distinct singing voice, both forms of delivery having similarities with the vocal style of Till Lindemann, albeit without his kind of dramatic touch and more intense swagger. But tone, timbre and delivery comes with similarities. More characteristic for Hemesath is the use of vocal harmonies that does add an extra dimension to the proceedings.

This is a fine album on many levels, with a good quality production and execution, and with a few songs managing to capture a tension and an energy that is of a more striking memorable nature. Those who tend to find a more atmospheric laden variety of heavy metal interesting strikes me as something of a key audience here, and those fond of cinematic tendencies and a little bit of industrial flavor applied to this form of music should be first in line in that crowd to note down this album as one that should be given an inspection.

Olav M. Björnsen, October 2022

Links:
https://www.hemesath.band/
http://www.echozone.de/