Till Death and After

HI-GH is an Italian band with a weakness for the sound of the eighties (and for questionable motifs for their artworks, I suspect). Apostles of modernity might blame them for being old-fashioned, but one has to be very careful when accusing the band of stale sounds. Exactly the opposite is the case. One of HI-GH's advantages is their liveliness. Apart from this, they embody the spirit of the eighties in a very credible and respectful manner, although the album offers room for improvement.

Frankly speaking, the band would be well advised to optimize its compositional skills. Of course, this is easier said than done. But a song like "The Russian Border" suffers a little bit from its mediocre chorus. Instead of ornamenting this actual very solid piece with an explosive chorus, the band has no (good) idea how to make the track complete. This is a pity, not at least in view of the stirring guitar solo. Yet it is a fact that this kind of blemishes affects the album. In this context, I would like to mention "Born Under Evil Defence" (very strong beginning, but an ill-defined and slack ending) or the high-pitched screams at the beginning of "Sex Machine". They sound somewhat ridiculous and give the song a comical touch. Apart from this, I have absolutely no doubt that each and every Italian man is a sex machine.

Generally speaking, I am a little bit surprised that the band describes its style as a mixture of speed metal and punk. Honestly, I do not identify a significant amount of punk elements (and to wear a shirt of G.B.H. is not enough in order to create a punk sound.) Instead, the protagonists deliver guitar solos and relatively long instrumental parts. Due to the fact that the band does not avoid melodic parts, I would rather say that the guys present a cocktail of speed and power metal. The comparatively warm and professional production also does not indicate a punk attitude. Maybe the dudes of HI-GH should contact their compatriots of Violentor in order to experience a hybrid of punk and metal. But apart from these stylistic nuances, the guys seem to be convinced of their musical approach and their credibility is definitely a trump card of "Till Death and After". Additionally, I do not miss a higher portion of punk elements. On the contrary, their only punk-compatible short track ("Your Bloody Face") does not belong to the highlights. The suspenseful opening of the directly following "White Car Fever" shows impressively that the band's strengths lie in its keen sense for metallic riffs. "Deal of Death", for instance, thrives on its very fine guitar work as well.

The band acts technically flawless and, for example, the powerful lead vocals leave a strong impression. I am convinced that the guys have not yet exploited their full potential. Maybe they should tend towards thrash metal, because their closer called "German Metal Attack" (a cover version) shows that they are able to offer a piece of this genre in a good manner. The text is based on lyrical excerpts from lyrics of the German thrash movement of the eighties. They even quote lesser known bands such as S.D.I. or Violent Force. Additionally, Schmier-like screams are not missing. It goes without saying that my German ears enjoy this number. But I also enjoy the entire output without thinking too much about its minor flaws. The third album will show if the band is able to take the next step.