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Hidden Hospitals

EP 002

Written by: PP on 14/02/2013 22:59:58

If the vocals on sophomore EP "002" by Hidden Hospitals sound familiar, it's because you've heard vocalist David Raymond before on the fantastic and criminally underrated albums by Damiera, whom he used to front back in the day. Hidden Hospitals aren't quite as math rock oriented as Damiera were, but their alternative rock retains some of the emotive vibes from Damiera, while adding in a sense of progression that references older Coheed And Cambria material in terms of the ambiance and atmosphere.

Though the instrumentals are relatively intricate at times, it's Raymond's sublime vocal talent that runs away with the show. Whether it's his soothing mid-range vocals on the emo-esque track "Monsters", or his explosive, high-end croons on "Featherweight", he masters his trade and displays a performance that can carry a band in some cases. Here, the rest of the instrumentation is still a little too anonymous despite a few highlight moments to awe the listener from the get go, but that's because Hidden Hospitals focus on the subtleties and things under the surface instead. It's a progressive take on alternative rock like I mentioned before, so they intentionally keep it complex enough to steer away from the pop sensibilities that Raymond occasionally throws in for good measure.

In short, it's not as instantly grabbing as the insane math rock of Damiera with explosive emo vocals on top of it, but it's getting there. The artwork and imagery used by the band is quite cryptic, so it suggests there's still more for us to uncover. For now, "EP 002" demonstrates Hidden Hospitals as a good replacement for the fans missing the now-defunct Damiera. We're still waiting for them to reach into similar levels of ridiculously good, though.

Download: The Absence Of Emotion, Featherweight
For the fans of: Damiera, Coheed And Cambria, Moneen
Listen: Facebook

Release date 30.10.2012
Self-Released