Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
The band Hitherside formed in 2011 and features American vocalist Jennifer Summer and Belgian multi instrumentalist Sam Oerlemans. They have just released their self-titled EP which features 6-songs and over 25-minutes worth of infectiously melodic alternative metal. The songs are well written, performed and crafted.
The forceful opening riff leads into the cool first song, “Insignificant Other”. The next track, “Eventide” begins with an acoustic intro as the song gradually picks up in tempo, but remains a middle-paced song with a psychedelic vibe. “Detrimental” picks up the tempo quite a bit and is helped by a relentless guitar riff and a melodic groove – making this my favorite song. The final trio of songs, “Asked But Not Answered”, “The Letdown” (this song proved to another big highlight for me) and the haunting “Learned to Loathe” don’t really stray too far from the previous songs, but they are strong and keeps up the overall consistency which Hitherside delivers so well. I can’t say that Hitherside will be everyone’s cup of tea, but their EP is a definite start in a positive direction for the band. Vocalist Jennifer Summer has a unique voice and the band is described on their web site as “Evanescence meets Dolores O’Riordan from The Cranberries with a dash of Deborah Harry from Blondie”. That about sums it up.
Rating – 70/100
Tracklist
- Insignificant Other
- Eventide
- Detrimental
- Asked But Not Answered
- The Letdown
- Learned to Loathe
Line Up
- Jennifer Summer – Vocals
- Sam Oerlemans – Guitar, Bass, Drums
Links