Rough Edge: Himsa CD Reviews

HIMSA

"Hail Horror" (Prosthetic; 2006)

Reviewed by Mike SOS

Decisively darker than previous efforts, Himsa's latest offering exhibits the band's versatile approach to abrasive music. Hardcore's brevity and metalcore's fury collide head-on across the 10-track "Hail Horror," resulting in tracks like the pummeling "The Destroyer," the classic metallic gloss of "Wolfchild" (which has hints of NWOBHM all over it), and the very Gothenburg-esque metal of "They Speak in Swarms," a track that could easily be mistaken for a cut by In Flames or The Haunted.

Seattle's Himsa has made an alarmingly crushing offering this time around, pulsating with pounding drums, frenetic guitars, and a guttural growl that puts the evil authority in the driver's seat. If you're craving triumphant tumultuousness, this quintet delivers in spades.

For more information visit http://www.himsa.org.

"Courting Tragedy and Disaster" (Prosthetic; 2003)

Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter

While the scene from the Pacific Northwest circa-2002/2003 has brought the musical world the likes of frantic hardcore rockers The Blood Brothers and similar ilk, it turns out there is another band from the land of rain and coffee that is worth hearing. That band's name is Himsa.

I'd been told that Himsa were a more metallic version of Darkest Hour. And I'm happy to report that the description is basically true. Much like Darkest Hour, Himsa's sound is grounded in the intensity and fury of hardcore, yet (unlike Darkest Hour) it really takes on the flavor of heavy metal as it once was, is, and will likely remain. Himsa inject classic metal (Iron Maiden) and soon-to-be classic metal (In Flames) in equal doses along with a history lesson's worth of musical idioms borrowed and teased into a unique formula.

The vocals are squarely in the hardcore shouting realm, the guitars bounce back and forth between high-intensity hardcore pummelings and shards of metallic bliss, the bass rumbles like a hard rock version of Iron Maiden, and the drums are frantic (and I don't mean Metallica-like "Frantic"). Of important note are the lead guitars which take on an important role in Himsa's music in all phases of a song as well as a soloing instrument.

"Courting Tragedy And Disaster" is a solid effort that will earn repeated listens from me over time. And I believe that fans of the Swedish melodic death metal genre will realize (no offense to Darkest Hour) that Himsa might have finally struck upon the perfect balance between hardcore and metal.

"Courting Tragedy And Disaster" was produced by Steve Carter.

Himsa: John Pettibone who screams and whispers, Kirby Charles Johnson on guitar, Sammi Curr on guitar and keys, Derek Harn on bass, and Tim Mullen on drums.

For more information visit http://www.himsa.org.

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

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