This review is a kind of exercise of good will, or better yet, an right ot it exercise of practice what you preach. I keep saying that I defend, and praise, Metal music’s diversity, so, I cannot keep avoiding writing about Nu Metal bands, even though my stomach hurts when I hear them. Yeah, it really does, but that’s not the main problem. The problem is my profound and deep disdain for Nu Metal, Modern Metal, Industrial Metal and all the cores Metalcore, Deathcore and alikes. For my sake we do not receive many of them.
Well, here we got HOKKA with their debut album “Via Miseria IV.” The way it is written in the press release I felt a bit ashamed for not knowing Blind Channel, a Nu Metal phenomenon as it is written, Joel Hokka and The Rasmus, a band with more than three decades of career, Pauli Rantasalmi. Or as they say the warrior and the sensei. Oh, my. I remember that my father used to say I put myself in some situations…
Ok, so I will stick only to the good parts of the album. I like the guitar tones, I admit. They always get me by the guts. They are heavy as hell and the low tones deepen the heaviness. As usual, album opener “Blackbird“ is the best track with good guitar riffing. Yeah, Nu Metal did not kill them at all. By the way, “Via Miseria IV” has some of them here and there. In order to break a little the constant electronic pounding tracks as “Heart Said No“ included some sounds of piano in them. This kind of melodic touch always work well to capture some hearts. On the other hand, “Bon Apetit” is a very different track even for Nu Metal’s standards with a beating drumming that reminds a little some Jazz beats from Holywood’s 1950’s movies. It changes a lot the mood of the album giving it some caricature.
So, that’s it. I got it!
HOKKA “Via Miseria IV” was released on April 24th via Nuclear Blast Records.
Track Listing:
01. Blackbird
02. In The Darkness
03. Death By Cupid’s Arrow
04. Via Miseria
05. Heart Said No
06. Bon Apetit
07. Murder Ballad
08. Angels Fall
09. Serpent’s Song
10. Kiss From A Rose
Watch official music video:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!