Broken - Hamoa
Rating
RIYL
ToolAtomship
Earshot
Tracklist
SeptemThe Novice
Interlude
Jade
Sage
The Root
Phal
Prana
Lucid
On All Fours
Hyacinth
Users RatingCreate an account or log in to rate this album |
Your RatingCreate an account or log in to rate this album |
When Tool takes five years to get their next album out to the public, other bands are prone to move in on their territory. Some fail utterly in their attempt to recreate the legendary sound, but every now and then a band comes close to capturing the essence of California’s progressive rock powerhouse. Broken is one such band. Hailing from the depths of New York City, this quintet readily flaunts their influences through 11 tracks of moody rock on their debut album, Hamoa. Although it resembles Tool in its vision, Hamoa branches off enough to avoid any accusations of “ripping off” their predecessors and instead refocuses the band’s energy into defining itself as a band.
Broken adopts a no-nonsense approach to the progressive genre, stripping it of lengthy instrumental segues and promoting more rock for your buck. Fortunately, no compromise is made upon the riff-driven landscape. Heavy atmospheric layers protrude throughout the length of the album and are smoothed over by surprisingly melodic vocals. What the band lacks in technical skill and musical talent they make up for in consistency throughout the album. Indeed, Broken knows how to hold the listener’s attention for the better part of an hour.
Hamoa comes in small, four or five minute packages, each loaded with an underlying agressive momentum that carries throughout. For an album that comes off as very mellow and subdued, Hamoa manages to pack quite the punch when it wants to, as is evident on "Jade" and "Septem". Due to the simplicity of the album, it may portray the band as a lathargic, apathetic entitty, but after closer examination it becomes clear that this narrow path leads to an internal bonding of the multiple layers of their music. Concerned foremost with the sound of their music, Broken never releases the reigns on their dark, moody foundations.
Do not go into Hamoa expecting to hear Tool. Instead, expect to hear a band that is heavily influenced by Tool and not afraid to show it. Broken demonstrates a skill in songwriting, and with enough experience this band may be able to make some devestating albums. The last few tracks of the album show the band experimenting with longer structures and deviating from the safer compositions of the beginning of the album. In due time, Broken will be a force to be recokned with.
--Jordan Volz
Comments
Dallas, Texas
Just another random Tool wannabe, I could careless if even God said otherwise.