Heterochrome – From the Ashes
Heterochrome – From the Ashes
Self-Released
Release Date: 13/05/2022
Running Time: 41:30
Review by Wallace Magri
10/10
There’s a lot of things I want to say about this release. But first, I must mention how the Iran based Prog Metal band Heterochrome cared about the EPK of their latest release, “From the Ashes”, a ‘detail’ that lots of signed bands fail to deliver for the ones, like me, who are responsible for reviewing albums.
Besides the fact that a properly organized EPK helps us a lot with the tracklisting, line up and weblink, in this case, it was very valuable for me to get in touch with the history of Heterochrome’s band members, and what they went through while composing and recording “From the Ashes”.
As I said in the first paragraph, Heterochrome are from Iran, a country where, according to the band’s press release (and with a little bit of news reading and common-sense knowledge, we all can suspect), people who play and listen to Heavy Metal are marginalized for the simple fact of connecting to that kind of unorthodox music by itself!
C’mon, it’s one thing for your family, or your religious neighbours complaining when you play your favourite bloody Metal song way too loud; but it’s a totally different thing to have musicians choosing to play Prog Metal in a country where over 90% of the nation are against what the band is playing, as well as what Mida’s lyrics are talking about – political issues, along with the tough times that Mida faces as a queer non-binary lesbian in an Islamic Shiites nation!
I think you got my point here, right? An EPK’s basic function: when a band wants to spread their word (beyond their arbitrary nation’s boundaries, in this case), a proper EPK allows us (the reviewers) to understand what Heterochrome wants to tell the world about. And we can help them to get their voices amplified, to reach people all around the globe, concerning the kind of state of exception and prejudice against culture and gender options that are happening right here and right now on Planet Earth; and that most of us usually assume as someone’s else problem, while we read about Hollywood artist’s gossips on useless tabloids…
Anyway, moving on! “From the Ashes” is musically a great album. I must confess that I am not that much into Prog Metal music in general. I do like Opeth, Therion, Devin Townsend Project and many other bands, but the band which came to my mind the most while listening to the 10 tracks packed on “From the Ashes”, was Nightwish, definitely.
The thing that caught most of my attention on “From the Ashes” (besides the lyrics’ social and political content, that are also written in ‘Farsi’* in the EPK!) were the Persian musical textures on such songs as the opening track ‘Baraye Farda (For Tommorow)’ Which has awesome guitar phrases and solos from Mohammadreza (Arash) Rezaei. The Persian sonority is also felt on ‘Sargardan (Wanderer)’, one of the highlights of the album, that is going to amaze Nightwish fans for sure, due to its epic approach and oriental folk touches in the arrangements, with some parts of the lyrics sung in Farsi!
*FARSI is a Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian subdivision of the Indo-European languages, according to Wikipedia]
On ‘The Bearing’, Mida sings about (according Heterochrome’s press release) ‘growing up in Iran as a queer non-binary lesbian. Bearing the weight of oppression and ignorance for years, fighting for their right to love and live as who they are, all that pent up anger came out in the lyrics’. And while opening our eyes to that kind of social agenda, Mida also shows us how beautiful and unique their voice is.
“From the Ashes” is an album that all we Metalheads should listen to, just to realize how Prog Metal, by combining diverse musical style, is able to put the beauty of the Persian culture above ethnical and religious beliefs’ imposed by despotic governments. And, by reading the lyrics, we can also get in touch with what’s happening on the other side of the globe and show our support to our fellows Iranians Metalheads who fight, through their music, for freedom of choice and speech!
TRACKLISTING:
01. رای ب ردا ف (Baraye Farda, For Tomorrow) – 3:39
02. ادک ادب ب (Badbadak, The Flight) – 3:28
03. Rage Against The People – 4:34
04. WOTB – 4:10
05. The Bearing – 4:29
06. Transition – 2:22
07. Time’s Up – 3:06
08. Through Evil Within – 5:03
09. ردان سرگ (Sargardan, Wanderer) – 3:20
10. The Outlaw – 7:20
LINE-UP (Album):
Mohammadreza (Arash) Rezaei – Guitars, Vocals, Synthesizer
Mida Malek – Vocals
Mohammad Mirboland – Drums
Ville Veihola – Electric Bass
Lisa Yihwan Lim (BigViolinPlayer) – Cello
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Wallace Magri and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
