Hourswill – Inevitable (2014)

Arriving from Portugal, today we have Hourswill and their debut full-length release “Inevitable”. Playing Progressive Metal, this band has good command of the genre but they are still missing a signature sound that makes them stand out from the rest. If you like bands like Symphony X and Leprous, Hourswill will be to your liking.

After an initial intro track, the band fully comes to life with the catchy “Vows of Submission”, a very proficient track filled with solid guitars and soaring vocals. As “Inevitable Collapse” and “Dead End Memory” roll by, the band combines some growls into their music to make it more diverse, but they ultimately fall second place to the Progressive vibe of the music. There are also some riffs that are more along the lines of Modern Metal outfits, but they also feel a bit out of place.

When the band is not trying to mash up incompatible elements, songs like “Lessons Unlearned” are quite good, reminding us of a more progressive version of Queensrÿche mixed in with some Pain of Salvation. Another standout track is the 8 minute melodic epic “Weight of Vengeance” and its soaring vocals and super tight drumming. Thanks to a brilliant production, this release sounds amazing, allowing it to compete with any other big budget release.

Closing with the dreamy “Their Hopeless Reality”, Hourswill has managed to deliver a very solid album that is missing some maturity to be completely amazing. The band has enough musical chops to hang with the big boys, but it is their lack of creativity and diversity that drags them down a bit. “Inevitable” is a very solid release and by all means it should be enjoyed by fans of the genre, however, it leaves us wanting a bit more and wondering of what the band will be coming up with in the future.

Label: Ethereal Sound Works

Release: October 16th, 2014

Genre: Progressive Metal

Country: Portugal