Homerik – Homerik
Homerik Productions
Release Date: 31/10/2017
Running Time: 46:33
Reviewed by Dawn “The Metal Priestess” King
6.5/10
I always knew when Rick at Ever Metal asked me to do him a favour and review a band for him that it was not going to be a run of the mill band. I knew there was going to be diversity and that there was a very good chance that I wouldn’t like the album. I think Rick assumed that too, and how I love proving him wrong.
Homerik are an American band formed in New York City but after listening to the album, you could assume that they had, in fact, come from anywhere in the world, and this is where the diversity comes in.
A trio comprising of composer and lyricist, Kenneth Candelas and two further lyricists, Andrew Petriske and Obed Gonzalez, they are a melting pot of different cultures and musicianships. Unsatisfied with mainstream metal and the amount of “regurgitated” stuff around at the moment, they wanted people to look into the possibilities of metal and how such a brutal genre could be made into something beautiful and unique.
Andrew and Ken both derive their inspiration from the many genres of metal the band are influenced by, but, as a whole, they are not shy of exploring other genres of music.
Swayed by their interests which include (to name a few) Ancient Egypt, Dark Fantasy, Lord of the Rings, Norse Mythology and Game of Thrones, they have orchestrated a force of guitars, drums, bassoon (how often do you hear of one of those in metal music!?) piano, brass and strings, that would be worthy of the inclusion into any film score. All this is complemented by the mystifying and alto vocal work of Carla Candelas and Nilsa Astacio, who, combined together, make a chillingly beautiful narrative of a little girl who suffers reoccurring nightmares of abuse and neglect.
Classed by themselves on their Facebook page as Symphonic, Progressive Death Metal, I would also like to add “atmospheric.” With influences such as (deep breath here) Nightwish, Wintersun, Nile, Deicide, Behemoth, Symphony X, Children of Bodom, King Diamond, Opeth, Epica and Kamelot (and that wasn’t all of them!) it is easy to see elements of every one of these bands showing throughout the music and the band can easily switch from one sound to the next, showing great diversity and, above all, talent!
Says Obed Gonzalez: “what you are about to listen to is a project made by people, for people, and for it to unify the world and their peoples.” If any band could manage to unify the world with their music, then this band could. With classic death metal vocals to accompany the symphonic aspects of the band, there are also the sounds of Asia and the Middle East all thrown in for good measure.
This album is not going to appeal to everyone, but even then, it has an approachability to all music listeners whether they are devout music fans or not!
If you like your metal straight forward and in your face then don’t buy this album, but if you like something a bit different, a bit atmospheric and a bit eccentric even, then this is the album for you.
I liked it, proving Rick and, probably myself, wrong…..you might just do!
TRACKLISTING:
01. Into the Pits of Oblivion 01:53
02. Unforgotten Kin 03:14
03. An Angel of Darkness 04:49
04. Curse of the Black Nile 05:45
05. The “Ire” of Green 03:58
06. Wendigo 05:00
07. The Balance of Power 05:39
08. Bread and Circuses 03:22
09. A Song of the Night: Part I 07:15
10. The Legion 05:35
LINKS:
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