Album Review: Bloodred Hourglass – Your Highness (Out Of Line Music)

Melodic death and thrash metal band Bloodred Hourglass’ upcoming album Your Highness is to release on October 22nd via Out of Line Music.

Vocalist Jarkko Koukonen commented:

Lyrically it’s going to be by far the most personal album to date. It’s an introspective trip into loss, lost chances of life and love – all crowned with sadness. You get a lot closer by being also fragile, and the contrast we managed to capture on this record is definitely some next level BRHG.

Guitarist Lauri Silvonen adds:

Musically it’s the most diverse BRHG album we’ve created. It contains our slowest song ever but also the most aggressive headbanger too. It’s filled with sadness and joy, brutality and catchiness – a perfect melodeath rollercoaster just the way we wanted it to be.

It is so good to have Bloodred Hourglass back and what an album they have produced here. Your Highness being the natural evolution of this band albeit one that doesn’t differ too wildly from what they have always been. Kicking off with the inspiring melodic death metal banger that is Leaves. A track that fills the soul up and immediately draws you into the fragility of this album.

Chunky riffing, thumping percussion and the brilliant melodies that result in another top chorus keeps things hot with Drag Me the Rain and Nightmares Are Dreams Too. It’s clear that this writing period was highly inspired period for Bloodred Hourglass.

The personal nature of this record marries perfectly with the head-banging quality of their overall sound. Bloodred Hourglass capable of sending you in fits of violent pitting while having tears rolling down your eyes. Leave Out All the Rest, Veritas, Tell Me About Yesterday Tomorrow and Change of Heart… massive track after massive track and not a single bad one amongst them.

Seeing the high bar set for melodic death metal this year and bulldozing through it, Bloodred Hourglass’ Your Highness is a near flawless listen. No two tracks sound the same but have a story-like quality to them. As though they could have only ever belonged on this album and at this time. It’s what continues to make it such an exciting listen. Gone for Now’s guitars squeal and howl with sorrow, Kings & Queens is a much more frenzied metal attack and My Prime of Kneel is dripping in melodramatic melodies.

Which brings us to the end (unless you pick up the 2-CD release) and the incredible combination of grandiose melody and energetic heaviness of Until We Meet Again. One final statement from Bloodred Hourglass on an album that delivers melodic death metal excellence.

Should you get to hear the three bonus tracks, you’re just getting even more bang for your buck. Rogues, Remembrance and Calm in My Storm, three more quality and satisfying listens. Hell, you can’t help but wonder if there was another 10 tracks, would it actually diminish? It seems highly unlikely such is the level Bloodred Hourglass are on.

Bloodred Hourglass – Your Highness Full Track Listing:

1. Leaves
2. Drag Me the Rain
3. Nightmares Are Dreams Too
4. Leave Out All the Rest
5. Veritas
6. Tell Me About Yesterday Tomorrow
7. Change of Heart
8. Gone for Now
9. Kings & Queens
10. My Prime of Kneel
11. Until We Meet Again
12. Rogues (Bonus Track)
13. Remembrance (Bonus Track)
14. Calm In My Storm (Bonus Track)

Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram