Melodic Death Metal is a trench into Metal that really has no midterm: the fans will love it or hate it. But no can deny that the creation started by acts as AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY, CARCASS, and that became popular due the work of ARCH ENEMY, has no value at all or is a ‘this-is-not-Death-Metal’ (there are some people that defend such ridiculous hypothesis). Anyway, the genre is stiil strong and revealing very good new names. And if one has doubt about such thing, this person must pay attention to “Dormant”, the new album of the German quintet HIRAES.

With former members of DAWN OF DISEASE and CRITICAL MESS, the band shows efforts directly linked to a modern and energetic form of Melodic Death Metal with some influences of the younger tendencies of Metal (clearly heard on “Undercurrent” due some clean melodic vocals and contrasts that resemble what is usually heard on Metalcore and New Metal). It’s savage and full of energy, but full of catching melodies and excellent choruses (what boosts the melodic aspect of the band’s musical work). Of course that the full potential of the quintet isn’t fully shown on the album, but with such talent, they’ll be a spearhead into the genre in a near future, no doubt about that!

The band delivered the songs of “Dormant” to the hands of Jens Bogren and Ricardo Borges for the mixing (with Jens making the mastering as well), and the work shows a fine combination of aggressive and weight impact (with some modern appeal on the instrumental tunes), but defined in an excellent way (one can hear the leads and arrangements of the guitars clearly). It’s really an excellent work, and in a fine package due the darkened and stirring artwork created by Britta (the band’s vocalist).

In the rigid mean of the terms, “Dormant” points for a huge talent into the new generation of Melodic Death Metal acts, stating an honest link between the past and the future. And songs as “Through the Storm” and “We Owe No One” (both presenting an excellent combination between aggressiveness and melodies, with a great chorus and excellent 6 strings attacks and leads), “Undercurrent” (where the contrasts between melodic and deeper parts with brutal Melodic Death Metal moments boosts the modern side of their music, and shows the versatility of the vocals that turns easily from clean tunes to guttural ones), “About Lies” (a massive and heavy song with melodies being supported by a bone-eroding work from bass guitar and drums on the rhythms), “Ocean Child” (an intense and multi-layered song with moments with abrasive aggressiveness shaped by a clear melodic appeal, but a melancholic feeling is clear), “Red Soil” (another thunderous songs with moments with melancholic melodies sharpened by a bitter aggressiveness based on slower tempos), and “Dormant” are all that a Metal fan that doesn’t worries about labels or genres are asking for.

Again: the potential to be a giant is sketched on “Dormant”, so let’s hope that HIRAES can awaken to its full greatness as soon as possible!