There is a special sort of nostalgia that comes with finding a band upon their debut, and then following them for many years. I first encountered Hemina back in 2012 with their debut album, and here we are in 2023 with their fifth album, the end of the story that began all those years ago. The album is called Romancing the Ether and it releases on August 11th.
Hemina come to us from Australia. I’ve honestly always wondered why they aren’t more popular since they have many features of the much-loved Australian progressive metal scene. The current lineup includes Douglas Skene on vocals, guitars, and keys; Mitch Coull on guitar and vocals; Jessica Martin on bass and vocals; and Nathan McMahon on drums and vocals. You’ll notice that they all sing, and even though Douglas is technically the lead vocalist, you will hear all of them throughout the record.
The band plays a hefty and technical progressive metal. Over the years, they have added more flourish and color to it. So, the debut was dark and complex, but each subsequent album was more melodic and had more personality. Romancing the Ether is the penultimate album of their discography; sure, there are tracks that I enjoy even more on some past albums, but this record is the most concise, imaginative, and beautifully conceived version of their sound.
The band does this in three ways. First, they lean into the metal, and they do it so well. The guitars are crunchy, the bass is groovy, and the drumming is engaging. There are some outstanding guitar solos throughout, and the almighty riff gets plenty of love. Second, they stick with the group singing thing, but allow Douglas room to flex his vocal muscles. Actually, right from the start, Douglas gets to muse and emote more than on past albums, and that is a strength they haven’t totally tapped until now. Third, they vary the textures. Yes, the metal is fire here, but you’ll hear New Wave-ish style, live orchestrations, choral vocals, Middle Eastern vibes, and even an electronic portion that break things up and make everything feel alive and vibrant.
Romancing the Ether has an interesting structure, too. It is technically only one track that lasts 35 minutes. The band has opted to include the three main portions of the song as individual singles, too, so you get both versions when you buy it. I think that’s smart because there are some huge hooks here that listeners might want to revisit without hearing the whole album.
I love this album. The first 11 minutes are the first segment, I think called “Strike Four”. I like this section because of Douglas’ gravy vocals, yes, but also because of the great chorus and excellent soloing. The next portion lasts until about the 28-minute mark or so, and I think it’s called “Embracing the Clouds”. This might be my favorite portion because Jessica gets to enter the picture vocally, the chorus is tender and relatable, the piano is so beautiful, and the groovy electronic beat near the end is pure fire. Finally, the last seven minutes are called “Revelations”, and it has probably the biggest hook on the album. I love the color and freedom of this part, but I especially admire the last few minutes as the album slows down, takes a breath, and just exists in some sort of bliss. Douglas closes the album beautifully.
I love Hemina and all their albums, but this one is next-level. I think they were able to cut out much of the fat and gristle of their past offerings, instead giving us a concise and tightly conceived work that is exciting, emotional, and energetic. This is an extremely entertaining and yet meaningful release, and I hope new listeners will give it a shot.
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The PROG Mind 