eBorn, Suffering, Death isn’t your typical debut album. Although there are just ten short tracks, each one is deliberately crafted to push this up-and-coming new band into a future staple of the metal music scene.
The listener is met with a diverse fusion of metal elements that showcase the growth and evolution Hellman went through since their debut demo, “Desktop Genocide.” Nonetheless, the overall experience falls into a lukewarm spectrum, leaving room for both praise and constructive criticism.
Without question, the musicianship exhibited is impressive. Each band member exhibits a high degree of technical expertise, from complex guitar solos to pounding drums that overtake every song. The album strives to provide a full experience by covering numerous subgenres within the metal spectrum, showing the band’s diversity. This eclecticism, however, contributes to the album’s failure to build a unified character.
While the desire to experiment with diverse sounds is great, the lack of a uniting thread running across the tracks leaves the listener wishing for a more defined musical trip. It’s as if Hellman is trying to cast too wide a net, resulting in an album that feels more like a collection of different ideas than a unified musical story at times.
While the songwriting is not without quality, it occasionally falls short of establishing memorable hooks or unforgettable moments that stick with the listener. The band appears to be on the verge of greatness, but the songs must completely capitalize on the potential for emotional impact or resonance.
Despite the lackluster reaction, glimmers of hope appear. The sheer intensity of several tunes hints at Hellman’s unrealized potential. There is a palpable possibility for development and progression with a more concentrated approach to songwriting and a purposeful attempt to polish their sound.
Born, Suffering, Death is essentially a snapshot of a band on the edge of something spectacular, exhibiting both strengths and places that may want better. As listeners, we long for the day when Hellman fulfills their full potential, develops their distinct personality and creates an album that demonstrates technical brilliance while leaving an everlasting stamp on the ever-expanding universe of metal. The path to that objective, if taken carefully, provides the potential for an exciting and satisfying future for Hellman.
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