‘Hopescure’ is a new Franco-Luxembourgish group which was created in 2016 and which has just released their first album ‘Nostalgia, Pt. 1’ which suggests that there will be a sequel. Tagged in progressive metal, it is not this restrictive qualifier that came to me during the first listenings because, apart from some energetic compositions in which the guitar riffs are more saturated, the influences are relatively diverse which makes it for me a progressive album in the broad sense and therefore, it is precisely this creativity and this originality of going to mix different influences to make it something new that has emerged.
The album begins with 'Liar', in a progressive rock style, which takes us on an mix between east and west with a remarkable first vocal performance of 'Andy Abrantes' and a fairly simple but very effective first melody , then 'Hate' hardens the tone for the most energetic title of the album between symphonic metal and industrial metal. Without transition, the next two titles go in a completely different direction, first the short 'Love, Pt. 1' which begins calmly with a piano/voice duo accompanied by a few layers of keyboards then which gains momentum in middle of title to fall back on the end, then, 'Reflection' begins in an atmospheric way and can recall formations like 'Klone' (see here) or 'Infringement' (see here) to cite only recent album releases, but we change the mood after two minutes with saturated guitars which prepare a chorus with beautiful melodic lines in which 'Andy Abrantes' uses its head voice and the suite alternates power and serenity in a remarkable way until the final in crescendo. With 'Transition', we hold an original musical piece, certainly less accessible, in which each artist brings his stone to the building to make it something unique, with multiple changes of melodic lines, tempos and intensity , then 'Pain' returns to a very peaceful atmosphere and unfolds a subtle melody alternating admirable female choirs and the sweet song of 'Andy Abrantes' with a catchy final in which 'Kevin Roy' offers us a very beautiful guitar solo. The end of the album scrolls 'Mislead' in a melodic progressive metal accessible with a beautiful central instrumental part, 'Anger', a title much more difficult to tame but certainly the most sought after and the most imaginative with a rather unbridled structure which is eyeing towards 'Dream Theater', and finally the very short 'Dreaming' which ends the album gently with a beautiful piano/voice duo.
In summary, this first album of 'Hopescure' is a very good surprise in the releases of progressive music 2020, mixing different styles and also accessible and least accessible which makes it an album to recommend to a audience open to different genres between rock and metal and looking for originality in the progressive... | |
