Hackberry: “Breathing Space” (2023) – Album Review

Summary

Consisting of four epic length tracks, Hackberry inventively infuses Breathing Space with a dense patina of heavy prog movement. This virtuosic instrumental quintet created mammoth of a record that nimbly integrates heavier elements with intricate classic prog. Breathing Space may have been even better served by a bit more thematic unity and compositional structure, but the album remains a thrilling and pulse-racing heavy prog cosmic sojourn.

Album Info

Introduction

Dutch quintet Hackberry was formed in 2015 with a singular mandate of delving deep into instrumental heavy prog. Or, if you will, progressive metal, stoner rock, doom metal, and all ports in between. Labels are so entirely problematic.

Still, the band with its twin guitarists, bass, drums, and keyboards, conspicuously lacks a vocalist. As such, their 2023 sophomore release Breathing Space upholds the ethos of their 2018 self-titled debut album. That ethos, of course, is rooted around a kinetic blast of instrumental rock, heavily leaning on metal, hard rock, and progressive elements.

When listening to a project like Breathing Space, it’s easy for a reviewer to easily list perceived influences, musical cues, homages, and so on. Certainly they are there, and we’ll bring them up from time to time. The larger question remains, which is whether this collection of songs engages on a compositional, technical, or cohesive level, or possibly all three

Regarding the latter two, the answer is a resounding positive. The performances are top-notch from top to bottom; nary a weak link to be found in this line-up. The shredding twin leads, chunky rhythms, tight synergy between bass and drums, and virtuosic array of keyboards and synths put us in strong musical territory.

Accordingly, the four tracks on this album hang together as a cohesive collection of tunes. With lengths ranging from ten to almost sixteen minutes, the tracks reside within an epic scale. Tonality remains very consistent throughout Breathing Space, further enhancing the record as a singular work. Whether or not that works for or against the record depends upon your own sensibilities.

Which leads us to song composition and construction, and it’s only here where the album falters a bit. Each of the four tunes is extremely engaging and appealing, but I often found myself wanting to hear the tunes develop just a bit more. Perhaps not the rigid exposition, development, and recapitulation of sonata form. Yet there was a distinct feel of each song being broken down into interlocking but thoroughly distinct sections which, while enjoyable and added up to a satisfying whole, didn’t quite develop and elevate their tonal material as thoroughly I was anticipating.

Review

This does not mean the songs lacked any development or engagement with themes and motifs. In addition, with its intricate instrumental virtuosity and heavy rock energy, Breathing Space consistently strives to impress the listener. And it mostly succeeds. Opening track “Lunares” (almost 16 minutes in length) starts out with feel of a metal James Bond theme. It moves into a second motif about two minutes in; introducing keyboard contrapuntal elements and a bit of a New Wave of British Heavy Metal feel. With elements of acid rock, 80s guitar tone, vintage Hammond embellishments, and alternating moments of intensity and gentleness, “Lunares” engages as an opener. It evokes the cyclical sturm and drang of a maelstrom, churning and spinning with commanding musical dominance.

“Solitary March” stays close to its predecessor’s formula, but introduces more acoustic elements and places further emphasis on the twin guitar attack (in that classic Thin Lizzy/early Maiden style). The bass and keys take on a more prominent melodic role, especially in the opening minutes. There’s an entertaining interplay of time shifts, twin guitars, and an exciting walking bassline that serves as a satisfying counter melody. Continuously escalating the thrust of its intensity, “Solitary March” closes with a satisfying and tasteful piano ending.

“Foreshadow” constitutes my favorite album track. Beginning with a slow, reverberating guitar riff, the song evokes gathering clouds, anticipating the storm to follow. Reinforcing this imagery is a second guitar and keyboards adding harmonic layers, as if the sky thickens into a more ominous aura. The military-like drums provide echoes of Rush’s “Jacob’s Ladder”. Thick power chord progressions electrify the stormy sky. Adding a mesmerizing effect are the choral mellotrons and guitar wails that end each riff triplet. A doom metal interlude leads into a softer but no less interesting introspective movement. A quickly plucked mandolin-like tone drives this section forward in an almost neo-prog fashion. As the time signatures start to stabilize, the music gets louder, more distorted, with a strong sense of musical conflict or dramatic struggle. “Foreshadow” concludes as the twin guitars reach a frenzied crescendo, fading into a soft piano outro. As if a few rays of sunlight disrupt and dissipate the darkness, perhaps offering a measure of reassurance.

“Manticore”, while a strong track in its own right, is perhaps the least impressive album track. It is a bit “more of the same”, which makes for a puzzling album closer. Perhaps this one and “Foreshadow” should have been swapped? Regardless, I still enjoy “Manticore” with its chunky riffs, symphonic keys, and manic heavy prog power. There’s even a brief, compressed southern rock interlude that transitions smoothly into a Zeppelin-style structure. Hammond tones provide connective tissue between many of the track’s moments, leading to a pleasing sonic feel. However, the song ends rather abruptly, leading this reviewer to feel “Manticore” needed more of a sense of recapitulation. Not just as a song in and of itself, but as a statement closing the record. Nevertheless, despite its abruptness, the ending isn’t a dealbreaker; it’s just a bit unusual.

And in closing…

There is a lot of movement throughout Breathing Space, which is somewhat ironic given the album title. I identified at least nine thematic sections within the opening track “Lunares” alone, each of them assertive and utterly commanding in their identity. Hackberry consistently and inventively infuses each of the album’s four tracks with a dense patina of heavy prog movement. As musicians, their proficient expertise cannot be denied, resulting in a mammoth of a record that balances the heavier, more metallic elements with intricate classic prog. Though it could have benefited from more variety, thematic unity, and compositional structure, Breathing Space still stands as a thrilling and pulse-racing cosmic journey into heavy prog.

What similar albums does ChatGPT recommend?

While it behooves me to remind my readers that everything you just read is 100% Mills, let’s ask our friendly neighborhood AI for some similar album recommendations

Here are five albums that fans of “Breathing Space” by Hackberry might enjoy. I’ve selected these based on their blending of progressive, heavy, and sometimes atmospheric elements similar to those found in Hackberry’s music.

“In Contact” – Caligula’s Horse (2017) This Australian band is known for their progressive metal, skillfully combining heavy riffs, beautiful melodies, and deep lyrical themes. The album “In Contact” stands out for its musicianship and compositional sophistication.

“Pelagial” – The Ocean (2013) The Ocean, also known as The Ocean Collective, is a German band known for blending progressive metal with elements of post-metal and sludge. “Pelagial” is an atmospheric concept album, taking listeners on a journey from the ocean’s surface to its darkest depths.

“Sorceress” – Opeth (2016) Swedish band Opeth has evolved from a more traditional death metal band into a unique fusion of progressive rock and metal. “Sorceress” features a balance of heavy, intricate riffs and softer, more melodic passages that might appeal to fans of Hackberry.

“Hand. Cannot. Erase.” – Steven Wilson (2015) Known for his work with the band Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson’s solo efforts showcase a range of progressive influences. The album “Hand. Cannot. Erase.” combines elements of prog rock, art rock, and electronica into a concept album that explores themes of isolation in the modern world.

“The Mountain” – Haken (2013) Haken is a British progressive metal band known for their intricate compositions and technical proficiency. Their third album, “The Mountain”, offers a blend of heavy progressive metal elements, avant-garde explorations, and even touches of jazz fusion.

Output from ChatGPT, OpenAI to Mills, 27 June 2023.