Metal
American band Haishen make their debut with a full-length release. We hadn’t caught wind of their self-titled first EP, released back in 2020. This time, though, we can properly report on an emerging band that leaves us open-mouthed with their sublime compositions.
“Awaken the Endless Deep” centres on themes from Chinese mythology — fittingly, since Haishen means God of the Sea. Not something you commonly find in heavy prog or prog metal bands like this one. Xuhao handles guitars and vocals, Justin Montione bass and backing vocals, and Randy Rowe Jr. drums.
The opening guitar of “Crimson Sun” is answered by the band’s rhythmic motifs, eventually played out in full ensemble. From the very first notes, it’s clear there’s a powerful, consistent musical language here that’s going to be a real treat. The arrival of the vocals shows off the band’s heavier metal side, with a certain echo of Mastodon, leaving room for a fleeting moment of solo bass and vocals, Yes’s “Close to the Edge”-style. Straight after, they offer up a highly rhythmic interlude that contrasts with the melodic, driving lines that follow, which underpin a brief guitar solo before returning to the track’s chorus.
The apotheotic ending connects, almost without pause, into the start of “Leviathan”. Its roar pushes us even further into sludge metal territory, but without the instrumental density this style can sometimes overindulge in — something that benefits from the trio format. That said, the middle section, filled with gorgeous female backing vocals courtesy of guest Sally Louise, carries us into an epic dimension that spills over into a sustained fury as it heads towards the final chords.
And on a record with such a strongly nautical theme, it shouldn’t surprise us to find the typical ambient interlude: “20,000 Leagues”. Keyboard passages laced with guitar effects, working to paint something like a seabed setting.
Either way, it serves as the prelude to this album’s real gem: the marvellous “Goddess in the Machine”. A kind of prog rhapsody that has it all. An atmospheric opening with a guitar gradually laying out the leitmotif that will accompany us on this journey. A guitar line then lets the band come in, with Montione’s bass introducing a delicate melody before the first soft verses arrive, drawing us further into this masterful piece. The pause that follows only heightens the magnificence of the main motif’s return. We come back to the vocal section with a gradual roughening of the voice. Then comes a rhythmic bridge that abruptly plunges us into a riff and near-nu-metal verses, which keep contrasting, again and again, with vocal harmonies and guitar solos.
Another instrumental interlude, following the classic playbook of bands like Rush or Dream Theater, delights us until a forceful ostinato arrives. Xuhao’s guitar takes centre stage, first with a solo, then leading a delicate 5/8 amalgam that progressively (that’s the nature of prog for you) hardens, while some backing vocals soften the harshness of the moment. Continuing with the abrupt shifts that define the composition, we return to a brief, resounding passage before reaching the noisiest part of the track, which fades away to be steeped in the delicacy of percussion textures, ever-present low end, and whispering guitars; if it recalls anything, it’s the same kind of concepts used at the end of Yes’s “The Gates of Delirium”, once again.
And we move into the folk section, with electric guitars wrapping around the vocals and melodic bass lines. We gradually move into rhythmically complex chords that grow more radical until the main theme explodes, revisited before closing with the same guitar line that guided us at the start of the track. Absolutely fantastic and epic; a track with a fabulous lyrical and musical narrative, the kind they used to make and rarely do any more, and the kind that could justify an entire musical career on its own.
“Flesh of the Earth, Child of the Sea” opens with just two notes. Much darker and more minimalist than the previous track. Hostilities kick off right after the intro, with riffs you might find in bands like Pain of Salvation, allowing for the stylistic difference. That is, until the verses arrive and prove once again that Slipknot is also a point of reference. The fusion of both concepts works wonderfully in this dark composition, which once again makes contrast its calling card, as shown by the guitar solo and the riff-fest that follows, veering close to Megadeth-style thrash metal concepts. Even so, they don’t forget to slot in a fairly acoustic passage in the second guitar solo, soft, relaxed and subtle. The final coda is raw and unvarnished, finishing off a track that feels like a rollercoaster.
We move straight into “Undersea Battle”, which opens with a furious ostinato that then breaks us apart with a series of unleashed riffs and details of remarkable technical execution. The melodic chorus offers a brief respite before they resume machine-gunning us with everything in their arsenal. Even the pause in the middle section shows no mercy, laying out ideas and concepts close to Tool’s aggression, particularly reclaimed through the exquisite ugliness of the bass tone. An impeccable guitar figure allows Rowe Jr. to shine on drums, right in the closing section.
And like a palate-cleansing sorbet before coffee, “Pyrrhic Victory” is a light track marked by acoustic guitars and the voice’s penetrating, gentle melodies. A welcome touch on an album this rich and demanding for the listener, and one that also lets us approach the final track in the right frame of mind.
Because we’re straight back into the most Tool-esque territory as “Nüwa Awakens” kicks in. Though once the vocals arrive, the reference to a more polished Dream Theater becomes clear. Still, as you’d expect, they soon rough up the atmosphere again and alternate these ideas with more nu-metal touches; once again, the result is more than successful. The middle section runs on a ternary rhythm that allows for slow passages with very dynamic sensations. Even more so when they intersperse powerful riffs and solos, each adding more force to a piece that closes on a bone-chilling scream.
It’s rare to find a debut as thrilling as this one, and especially one that, the moment you finish listening, automatically has you searching for more music and information about the band. So it’s time to give them our support, because they need to keep delighting us over the years to come, no question about it. Impressive.
Writer: David Sàez