Album Review: Silhouettes of Horror by Hyperia (Self Released)

Canadian thrashers, Hyperia return with a brand new, independently released album titled Silhouettes of Horror due out on March 18th.

Hyperia is a Melodic Thrash Metal band known for their wailing vocals, shredding guitars, and fast, heavy music. Formed by Colin and Marlee Ryley (husband and wife) in September 2018, they found 3 members from the local metal community and hit the ground running. Originally from Calgary, the now Vancouver based band released their debut album, Insanitorium in 2020 via Sliptrick Records as well as a 2019 debut EP, Fish Creek Frenzy. For this second album, “Silhouettes of Horror”, guitarist Colin Ryley sits behind the soundboard producing and mixing the record with mastering done by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland (Children of Bodom, Nightwish, Battle Beast). Album artwork was created by Andrei Bouzikov (Vektor, Municipal Waste, Skeletonwitch, Toxic Holocaust).

Hyperia bring energetic, melodic, fast and dynamic  elements to “Silhouettes of Horror” , Things that old and new fans of thrash, NWOBHM, and power metal will appreciate. The band even included a cover homage of Abba’s “Gimme Gimme Gimme”. though I am unsure of that should be claimed as a positive, personally. Most of the lyrical themes on “Silhouettes of Horror” revolve around inhumane government experiments, sleep disorders, and night terrors.

Silhouettes of Horror, in the bands own words is described as:

“Silhouettes of Horror’s lyrical concept is that of parapsychology, night terror hallucinations, and inhumane government experiments. The music is fast, melodic, and heavy-hitting thrash metal”.

Hyperia are David Kupisz on rhythm Guitar, Colin Ryley on lead Guitar, Marlee Ryley on vocals and Scott Degruyter on bass. Drummer Jordan Maguire has departed the band so session drummer Gord Alexander is on drums on Silhouettes of Horror.

So with around 46 minutes over 11 tracks including the ABBA cover, we get underway with Hypnagogia. A little horror sampling suddenly switches into a fast paced thrasher with a wicked riff and catchy drum beat. This is a winning way to start an album. If you claim to be energetic, you better bring it and Hyperia do. The vocals were a nice surprise – not sure why but I expected cleans and instead get fiery growls and gutturals in the verse with a blend of cleans and growls in the chorus creating a nice harmonised feel. The drums are powerful and relentless mostly with thick bass lines and punchy riffing punctuated by little blasts of lead guitar melody and a wicked solo. Damn. That is setting a high bar very early but certainly has my full attention.

Intoxication Therapy explodes into life with a ripping riff, passionate vocals backed by loads of growls and roars and a melodeath worthy lead guitar in the chorus. This vocalist is super talented in a song that just continues to pound you with brilliant metal in a non stop assault of drums and guitars. Its a pit filler, beer in hand with a big smile on your face. Experiment 77 is another fury filled attack. Drums and guitars shake you to the core in a song you feel like you just have to move to while the vocals blaze out punchy lines at pace. Verses get broken by little solos acting as bridges to the chorus. Some gang vocals and prominent bass lines switch things up in a song that will drive many crowds absolutely wild.

Severed chucks a bit more groove into the intro with a very NWOBHM sound and a screaming lead guitar sitting over the chunky riffing. The more stomping headbanger style is really cool and also comes at a good time, switching things up after the first few attacks. It’s still fast, still heavy yet just slows down enough to let you catch your breath, at least in the verses. Check out those drums in the chorus and bridge and the huge backing roars add yet another dimension. I really love the variety on offer so far on Silhouettes of Horror.

That variety continues to arrive with songs that lean on NWOBHM, others on a traditional sound, some on thrash but all, always, in a manner that makes them sound very much like Hyperia’s own style and not a copy of anything. The twisting lead guitar in Prisoner of the Mind is mesmerising and almost hypnotic and the full on enthusiastic attack that follows gets you moving and feeling involved and energised. Terror Serum darkens things up again with a deep and dirty riff and vocals that exude aggression. Its another pit filler. A song that just deserves a huge crowd moshing and then suddenly switching into a stomping head bang as the band transitions the song through different phases.

Whitecoat continues the high octane attack before the title track, Silhouettes of Horror drops. And, as much as I have enjoyed the album so far, this song is a stand out banger. The pace of the song is fantastic, being fast and energetic but not so much so that you can’t stop to enjoy the moments. The vocals are ferocious and the drums are on another level. Little drops to allow the bass to shine and then the lead guitar lines ripping their way through the darkness to absolutely transform the song is genius. The solo is short but fits perfectly in a song that feels like it passes in seconds and will be getting a lot of replaying.

How do you follow that? Well, with Operation Midnight and a step back up to ridiculous speeds and energy sapping intensity. I love the piercing cleans in the verse and the huge roars that end those sections. The riffs are good with strong drum patterns and bass rhythm shining through. A gang vocal sections sees the drummer tested as he succeeds in reaching ridiculous speed again. It’s another strong track.

So we reach the proper album closer with the 7 minute long Pleonexia. Being over 2 minutes longer than anything else on Silhouettes of Horror, I am interested to see what the band get up to. I half expected the band to maybe take it a bit easier but after a neat little intro solo, Hyperia explode into absolute anarchy. High octane, unrelenting riffs and drums just attack constantly with powerful vocals delivered at pace. A short but effective chorus gives just the tiniest amount of respite before chaos wraps it’s arms around you again. Despite my constantly referring to it as chaos, what I truly love is that within that insanity, there is a clear purpose and always beat or hook to grab hold of.

It’s organised chaos but also with more than enough variety to keep you on your toes. Switches to a more stompier section gets you headbanging violently along, a ripping solo will have you dusting off that air guitar and the minute long melodic outro will leave you picking your jaw up from the floor. It feels like the absolute perfect way to close out Silhouettes of Horror.

And I wish they had stopped there as I couldn’t care less about the cover. I get it’s a bit of fun, and it is a cool cover for what it is. Sped up, heavier, well sung – if I had to ever listen to a version of an ABBA song again, this would be it. But that’s the thing, I don’t have to and so I won’t. Still, it’s a bonus and the overall quality of Silhouettes of Horror is not going to be impacted by the fact I don’t care for ABBA covers.

I feel genuinely quite blown away by the quality on offer here. The drumming is insanely impressive, the bass is so prominent and important, the riffs are pure raging fire, the lead guitars and solos are imaginative and exciting and the vocals, all ranges, lead and backing are absolutely massive. This is one of the most exciting thrash albums I have heard in a fair few years. Hyperia have absolutely smashed it delivering an album that just keeps giving insane quality, track after track. Silhouettes of Horror is a special album and one that is so relentless, so energetic and enthusiastic that I felt out of breath just listening to it. Amazing.

Do yourself a favour an make sure you grab a preorder of this excellent release from Hyperia on Bandcamp, here.

Hyperia Links

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