Album Review: Windwaker – Hyperviolence (Cooking Vinyl Australia / Fearless Records)

It’s finally time. On July 12th, 2024, Windwaker’s new album, ‘Hyperviolence’, will be released via Cooking Vinyl Australia & Fearless Records.

Having built up a stupid amount of anticipation with killer single after killer single, Windwaker finally bring us the full thing, and it does not disappoint. Hitting an immediate anthemic high with the opener Infinity. One that shows how well they contrast pop, electronica, and metal, while delivering a chorus that is impressively infectious.

There’s no denying that the over-saturation of metalcore music (which is one camp that this album sits in) continues to be an issue, but when it’s enjoyable and good, there’s nothing to complain about. Which is very much the case with this album, and Windwaker are on the creative form of their careers as they smash out vigorous, alternative, heavy hitters like SIRENS and Fractured State of Mind. Not just filled with intense vitality, but with relatable messages.

There are aspects of this album that will polarise though, with the most prominent being some egregious use of electronica. Notable already, and something that continues to dominate across the remainder of the album. For some, and certainly on specific tracks, it can be off-putting, even if that element often helps make the track even catchier. It’s to Windwaker’s credit though, that their use of electronica rarely feels forced or randomly jammed in.

Take something like Break the Rules, a very imaginative piece of music that goes overboard with the effects, but still results in an appealing listen with some serious heaviness and accessible pop vibes. It’s a real marmite track, but that could also apply to the album as a whole. Regardless of your love or hate for it, chances are many tracks will end up taking up residence in your head.

Heavier and moodier, it’s The Wall, where dark and dangerous intensity stands out. Followed then by some strong melody, clean singing, a passionate sounding chorus, and a solid breakdown with Villain. Before the halfway point of the album passes with another delightfully infectious effort called Get Out. A track that really comes to life the first time the heaviness hits. The harsh vocals and faster instrumentation sounds great.

Which sums up Windwaker really. A band that sounds great, and a band immeasurably talented enough to keep this album exciting as it enters its latter stages. Delivering a straight-up hip-hop/pop effort with Haunting Me, a track that expertly alternates between beastly heaviness and uber poppiness with Vertigo, another hip-hop heavy effort called Hypnotised that, thankfully, has a brief explosive blast of metal near the end, and Venom, a brash rap-metal effort that has plenty of fire.

It does seem as though Windwaker get more experimental in the latter half, but the reality is that this them. There are no rules to what they do, so nothing is ever really a surprise. As stated before, it’s going to polarise, but it’s going to be a huge album regardless as it’s got incredible wide-spread appeal. Right to the very end as Tabula Rosa and Juliet add the exclamation point on Windwaker’s ambition.

Windwaker – Hyperviolence Track Listing:

1. Infinity
2. SIRENS
3. Fractured State of Mind
4. Break The Rules
5. The Wall
6. Villain
7. Get Out
8. Haunting Me
9. Vertigo
10. Hypnotised
11. Venom
12. Tabula Rasa
13. Juliet

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