What if the future robs the civilised cradle and steals the newborn light away? Will the Fertile Crescent ever get the chance to bear more children and create another world of flesh? Or are we left to be engulfed by the currents of electric nature and only to reminisce of ages past?

The coming together of the times is not an easy thing to capture. In this new age of ours we too often find ourselves in the grip of nostalgic ghosts, searching for the sounds of old in hopes of meshing the archaic and contemporary together - at times to no avail. Yet there are moments when the grains of dusty ancient frontiers do manage to catch that fresh breath of life and transport a Marshall stack to the banks of river Euphrates, and on their first full-length effort "Empirical Fragments", the Italian Heavy Metal outfit HIDDEN MEMORIES have done just that.

Better brush up on your Aramaic, for "Empirical Fragments" drops you right in the heart of the Middle East. "Anck" opens up the record with an intro of traditional Arabic instrumentation before leading into "Jackals", where convention meets amplification and the band introduce their exceptional mixture of Progressive riffing, Eastern modalities, epic, ethereal keyboard punctuation and dynamite drumming by Michael Borghi (who is truly the driving force behind every track on the record). The overall sonic direction of the album very much blends the creative elements of outfits like the YOSSI SASSI BAND (as evident by the Middle Eastern thematic) whilst infusing them with the driving force of classic heavyweights in the likes of IRON MAIDEN (particularly "Powerslave", the influence of which can be heard on tracks like "The Hunt").

Yet there is also an additional characteristic that is ever so present on this record - and that is its modern essence. Whilst the "Empirical Fragments" aptly captures the sound of classic Heavy Metal, it also manages to galvanize it with modern heaviness  - as seen on songs like "Insane Equilibrium". Furthermore, there is a very strong Progressive aura (in the vein of PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION) that envelops every track and adds a lively urgency to songs like "Scars" and "Over The Edge". The production too is top notch and the solid mix captures the vast array of soundscapes in perfect harmony.

Overall - "Empirical Fragments" excavates into the past with knowledge of the future. HIDDEN MEMORIES offer up a strong debut that is both musically intriguing and skilfully executed, and will undoubtedly be appreciated by fans from any corner of the Metal world.