HEDDA is a new heavy metal band that incorporates progressive moments much like early Fates Warning (John Arch-era) or pre Operation Mindcrime Queensryche as well as Iron Maiden (circa The Number Of The Beast & Piece Of Mind). The band’s core was formed by Jamie Mac (bass, vocals) and Kent Herman (guitars), both former members of prog-metal band Dimension X. Joining them are John Swenson (lead vocals) and Jef Jaeger (drums).
The band’s self-produced and financed EP The Calm Before has roots, sound wise more in 1980’s than 2000‘s. In many ways the music can be deemed a ‘pure’ form of heavy metal which also can be classified as progressive metal.. The sound harkens back to a time before the genre got saturated with Dream Theater clones.
The Calm Before… is a prelude to a full length album probably to be named.. The Storm. While the sound and production have a dated feel, the energy and mood makes up for it. It has a thick wall of sound that sounds like they way it was done before the now popular digital cut & paste procedure that fixes flaws that don‘t need tampering. In my opinion, heavy metal just like rock and roll, needs to have a raw bite to it.
So if you long for those pure days of the1980’s when bands like Fates Warning, Queensryche or a fledgling Dream Theater (1989) ruled the genre ,then I would recommend you check out HEDDA , A.S.A.P.!
Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on January 24th, 2010
