Hanging Garden - Hereafter

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When people talk about the cornucopia of metal that Scandinavia provides us, they often talk about  Norway and it’s black metal scene or the death metal scene in Sweden. When it comes to Finland though, there isn’t a specific subgenre the country is known for so we as metalheads can get seemingly anything great from Finland, from power metal to doom metal. HANGING GARDEN is no exception, being a great band from Finland making some good Melodic Doom Metal. Their newest EP, Hereafter, showcases their talent and further inclusion of more melodic elements, as well as their progression and continued improvement, though some might say there are times on the EP that the tempo isn’t any kind of metal.  Despite this, the EP is well made and produced and not a bad listen

The album begins with “Penumbra” (featuring Mikko Kotamäki of SWALLOW THE SUN), one of the heavier songs on the EP. There are some very good riffs and a strong mix of harsh and clean vocals, however overall it sounds very much like INSOMNIUM’s album Shadows of the Dying Sun. It is a good song overall however, but I must admit it feels a bit lacking. “Hereafter”, featuring Rikka Hatakka, by comparison is purely melodic. Overall it is certainly the most mellow song on the album, and the clean vocals do very well to match the tempo of the song. This is definitely one of the aforementioned songs that some might say isn’t even Doom Metal, however. Finally though, when it comes to “Where the Tides Collide”, is where the EP shines most. Featuring Alexander Höbgom of OCTOBER TIDE and CENTINEX, the song does very well in mixing harsher and more melodic aspects. Great riffs with a strong beat and tempo, and both the male and female vocals shine alongside great harsh vocals, I really have nothing negative to say about this song.

Overall, not a bad EP. It definitely has it’s highs such as “Where Tides Collide”, and it’s lows such as “Sirkle of Onan”, and it definitely has the sound of something that is  experimental. It also fluctuates in it’s sound quite a bit, with contrasting songs such as “Hereafter” and “Penumbra”. The strong points are almost certainly the consistency in keeping a good tempo and vocals that match the tempo, as well as the vocals in general. Both harsh vocals and clean vocals are well done here, though that does not mean there isn’t room for improvement. While it is certainly mellow and melodic, I would recommend it to anyone  seeking slower tempo metal.

Songwriting: 7
Originality: 6
Memorability: 6
Production: 7