TARDIGRADE INFERNO hailing from St. Petersburg, Russia were formed in 2016. They are a progressive Metal band, however, they are often labelled as "Dark Cabaret Metal" or Horror Metal at times. They released two EPs, one live album, and two full-length albums so far. Their third album "Hush" has a length of about 45 minutes, and it is an independent release. The album starts with the track "The Final Show". It has a bit of a theatrical intro, leading into a short mid-tempo track with powerful guitar riffs. The vocals are cleans and they vary between the deeper to medium end of the vocal range, with a couple of growls near the end of the track. "The Final Show" marks perhaps the end of an era in terms of the sound of their previous album "Burn The Circus" (2023). It transitions right into "Hide'n'Seek", which is introduced by crushing guitar riffs at a measured tempo. The vocals are very different as they vary around the medium end of the vocal range with a few tonal shifts towards both directions. The choruses are super heavy, and they are intensified by backing vocal support. The melodies are dark and the break offers an extended lead guitar solo. "Hide'n'Seek" was released as video, and the YouTube link is provided below. "Deadly Fairytales" is a mid-tempo track with catchy melodies during both verse and chorus parts. The guitar riffs are powerful. The verse parts are driven by the guitars and the vocals, while the choruses are almost anthemic. The break delivers another cool lead guitar solo. "Deadly Fairytales" is an early album highlight.

The TARDIGRADE INFERNO sound is very different from a traditional Metal sound, and the theatrical components are pretty evident in "All In Your Head". While the guitar riffing is very heavy and at times devastating, each track includes elements like melodies from children's plays, theatrical or cabaret sounds, or kid's melodies. All of this is kept together by the versatility of the vocalist, who drives the tracks forward. "All In Your Head" is a mixture of all that at mid-tempo with punishing guitar riffs, while the vocals are slightly deeper compared to the previous tracks. "Dead Fish Smile" has a quiet start with the guitars, the cymbals, and the vocals, transitioning into a track at a measured tempo with thunderous guitar riffs. While the verse parts remain quiet with the vocals driving them forward, the choruses are epic with dark melodies. The break offers a short lead guitar solo. The vocals vary around the medium end of the vocal range with little tonal shifts. "Subatomic Heist" starts with orchestral arrangements led by the strings, introducing the main melody of the track. It develops into one of the faster tracks led by the versatility of the vocals which include a few progressive, Punk and Ska vibes. The vocals remind me of a mixture of the clean versions of Maria Brink (IN THIS MOMENT) and Tatiana Shmayluk (JINJER) as well as Skye Sweetnam (SUMO CYCO) at times.

"I.C.D." has a frantic start with punishing riffs at a fast tempo. The track develops into a mid-tempo verse part, which is again run by the versatility of the vocals. The chorus parts are heavy with direct and powerful guitar riffs accompanied by the higher pitched vocals. The chorus line is a sing-along chorus with backing vocal support. The break and the following bridge are again frantic, before the track circles back to another chorus. "I.C.D." is another album highlight. The beginning of "Goor" is driven by heavy guitar riffs and the keyboards, transitioning into a quiet verse part driven by the vocals and guitars. The chorus parts are powerful with the melodies being catchy with almost anthemic choruses. The break includes a short keyboard solo, accompanied by punishing guitar riffs and crushing basslines. The track might be a bit lengthy as it takes some time to come to its conclusions. The title track starts with devastating guitar riffs at mid-tempo, leading into the verse part. The guitar riffing here is tight with dark melodies. "Hush" is a relatively easy-to-listen track compared to most others with catchy melodies during the choruses. The break is quite short with the vocals and the keyboards being the main contributors. "Hypograph" is a short inter-lude by the piano.

"I am Eternal" is the final album track and it starts with a quiet verse part at measured tempo, interrupted by thunderous guitar riffs. The vocals deliver a masterclass in versatility. They are mostly at the deeper end of the vocal range, they are seductive and include a few jazzy vibes. The break offers an extended and contributing keyboard part. The melodies of the choruses are dark, but they are catchy. At the end of the track there is another fine delivery of a contributing lead guitar solo. Altogether, "I am Eternal" is another album highlight and a good way to end the album. TARDIGRADE INFERNO have their very own style of Metal, based on horror themes, theatrical, cabaret, and circus elements. This is manifested in their new album, "Hush" is a melting point of different genres and vibes, including progressive Metal, Groove Metal, but there are also a few Punk and Alt-Metal vibes present. The guitar riffing is often crushing. All those different elements are excellently kept together by vocalist Darya Pavlovich, who makes that unique sound possible with her versatility and vocal range. She gives the album an extra dimension. The album is well produced. "Hush" is not an album for the mainstream Metal fan, either you like it or not. If you like it, it will not let you go.