Heavy Metal Ninjas - Interstellar Abduction Album Review
I don't even know where to begin with this. 2013 album of the year for me hands down. If there was a word to describe how this album makes me feel it would be something like rhgnvpqmfvujg.
There is so much going on here it's a little hard to describe. Djentstrumental maybe? An instrumental concept album with lashings of djent flavour and some Vai/ Satch styled sauce on top.
After hearing The Heavy Metal Ninjas EP for the first time I was blown away, in some small part because of the Kora boys being involved and it being so totally different to what I had previously heard from them, but that faded quickly in the realisation that HMN stands perfectly fine on one foot while kicking me in the earholes with the other foot. The new album Interstellar Abduction takes that feeling well above and beyond and (for me at least) firmly places HMN at the very pinnacle of NZ songwriting and musicianship.
A rollercoaster of dynamics, structures that could win architectural design awards, and waves of emotive and technical aural stimulation.
From the 2 part Propulsion to chilled tracks like Melodyk, hauntingly beautiful Green Spring, and of course let's not forget the already released single Design. There is NOTHING I do not like on this album except maybe when it's over, but then there is always repeat.
This is what the NZ music scene has been missing for so, so long. A band that can without a doubt take the international stage and destroy it Kiwi style. I'm REALLY looking forward to what's coming next from these guys and I can see it going a long, long way, I just hope I have time to recover from this album before they release another one or I may never be able to string a sentence together again.
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About Heavy Metal Ninjas
“This album to me, is more about finding my inner self, as a composer, a guitar player and a person, discovering all these things has opened my mind to a new plane for writing my next album” - Richie Allan
As ever, the band are led by guitar virtuoso, Richie Allan, and their line-up is now augmented by fellow Ibanez-endorsed guitarist Brandon Reihana (ex Blindspott), which increases the guitar power in HMN by a full third.
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