Hanging Garden has really been spoiling us recently because they’re back again with yet another tremendous piece of work. I Am Become is the band’s fifth full-length album, and showcases versatility, power and skill.
There is something beautifully poetic about the way Hanging Garden deliver their music. The instrumentation is crushingly heavy with a nice little helping of melody for good measure, and the powerful vocals are performed with a mixture a of smooth clean style and a snarling harsh style. Everything comes together perfectly and makes for engaging and memorable listening as a result.
I Am Become gets off to a fantastic start, with the second track featuring an incredible vocal performance from Amorphis/Hallatar’s Tomi Joutsen – his deep and powerful growls add a lot of body to an already-stunning song, and really helps to grab your interest right away. Another strong track comes in the form of later track One Hundred Years, which is a slightly slower track that takes a few different approaches, from softer stripped-back lines to stunning harsh vocals atop beautifully heavy instrumental lines.
All in all, this is another very good album from Hanging Garden. Although there’s no tracks that properly ‘grab you’ and get under your skin like in their last few releases, I Am Become is still a top-notch release and a highly-enjoyable listen as a whole.
8/10
