Switzerland’s Henriette B have crafted a well executed progressive metalcore release with Tales of Reality that is almost inhumanly spot on for genre style points. Like notes in a wine, the band cycle through atmospheric or djent-guitars, high vocal melodies that strive to fit into the progressive metalcore club rather than stray too close to clean mall emo vocals, etc. At their best they are a blend between some of Veil Of Maya’s edgier ages with potential (evident in the amount of hard work that clearly went into this) future Periphery-sized ambitions.
Much better than most metalcore by numbers and capable than many new wave of prog metal bands.
Over six varied tracks the band prove good work can be done in this sub genre of the family rock and metal tree, if without perhaps as much staying power as death metal or other forms. The future has yet to get out a verdict on that, but I’d be surprised if I am wrong.
The key track on this baby is “The Other Side”, in that the title summarizes that the band perhaps have too many at their disposal while also cramming in a ton of cool music within (almost) four-minutes skeleton that you’ll be amazed is as short as it was for all the places visited. “Visions”, the following track, is more of what I hope the band evolves into. Dreamier and more progressively unique territory than djent-a-thon.
Looking forward to the music yet to come from this band, though this is a very capable early effort.
