Album Review: H.E.R.O. – Alternate Realities (Mermaid Records)

Danish rock band H.E.R.O. are back with their third and most hard-hitting album ‘Alternate Realities’ telling a deeply personal story about the demise of loved ones and the subsequent process of healing. Alternate Realities is released on March 18th, 2022 through Mermaid Records.

If this is your first foray into the musical world of H.E.R.O. then you’re likely to be quite taken back by the opening track Gravity. Where a cinematic and intensely heavy intro shifts dramatically to a modern fusion of rock, pop and R&B. It’s something that happens several times across its runtime and it’s a little jarring even if it is interesting.

Settling down a bit, Lead the Blind is a bit more of an anthemic listen and makes you want to get up and moving. A track that you would expect to hear on the radio and a track that is guaranteed to have wide appeal. Although Never Be the Same has the same appeal, thanks to a heady mix of electronica and heavy rock groove.

Although it has to be said here that there are just way too many vocal effects. Several times throughout the first 3 tracks these effects just come across insufferable and unnecessary.

It’s more of that anthemic and catchy rock/electronica blend with Oxygen, Made to Be Broken and Personal. Each with their own individual chorus that rises up. Albeit with caveat that you really have to be able to enjoy a ton of random effects.

There’s simply no ignoring the fact that H.E.R.O. have created something that can be so very challenging to listen too. However, there’s also no ignoring the fact that this is one hell of an example of modern rock that transcends genres and will pull in audiences all over the world.

Don’t believe that? Just listen to the heavy rock and melodic melodrama of Cynical, the massive sing-along that is Monster and the heavy electronica of Bring Me Back to Life. These 3 latter tracks are great examples of just how varied Alternate Realities is.

Ending on a super-melodramatic effort, Alternate Realities dishes out one hell of a reminder of the album’s themes. Its chilled-out tempo, light use of electronica and focus on vocals (without heavy effects) makes for one hell of a memorable closer.

It’s not an easy album to love but that’s personal taste. To much electronica and far too many effects that miss, the balance between those and the rockier side of the band is off. There are plenty of enjoyable tracks, plenty of moments that will make you nod in approval but there are also plenty of moments that make you scratch your head and grimace.

H.E.R.O. – Alternate Realities Full Track Listing:

1. Gravity
2. Lead The Blind
3. Never Be the Same
4. Oxygen
5. Made To Be Broken
6. Personal
7. Cynical
8. Monster
9. Bring Me Back to Life
10. Heavy Heart

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