I consider the comeback album by the legendary Heavy / Power Metallers HITTMAN from New York, USA, as one of the most important Metal releases for this year.
I know that you have somehow get used doing the math for comeback albums lately. No big deal, I will make the job a little more easy for this one: 27 years have passed since the band’s second “Vivas Machina” release back in 93.
However the story begins a little earlier than the early 90s. It is obvious that HITTMAN have released a classic debut album back in 1988 -not to mention their classic 1986 demo-. The debut album that have became an absolute trademark not only for the band itself, but for the entire US Power Metal genre in general. However the band’s most Prog oriented second album, was a difficult enigma for some of the fans. I guess you know the story (well I am a big fan of the second album as well and I never quite understood those who did not get into it).
The band split back in 1994. They reunited back in 2017 and as a first step they performed some amazing live shows at Keep It True and Up the Hammers festivals, on those shows they presented a new song and the announcement for a new record was finally official: HITTMAN are making a new album.
So yeah, we got the two past albums and their differences. We also got an amazing new song entitled “The Ledge” debuted on stage and later became the band’s first official lyric video. A song which is in my opinion the best Metal composition for this year.
We also got a second song given to the public entitled “Breath” which is a brilliant, dark, Melodic US Metal composition, and we got the final question: How does the comeback HITTMAN album sound after all?
This album is the perfect combination of Melodic US Metal, with the finest US Power Metal you can imagine, expanded to those straight into the face Prog touches that made bands like QUEENSRYCHE and FIFTH ANGEL to be the bands they are today. It reflects a perfect balance, grabbing elements from both the band’s past releases.
Well lets put it simply: A dedicated tribute to the late 80s US Melodic, Power and Prog Metal elegance. This is what the new HITTMAN album is all about.
The futuristic introduction of the “Destroy all Humans” track is preparing you for the overall experience. Its main theme in mid tempo, combined with the main vocal line will bring into your mind even some SAVIOR MACHINE perfection, it is followed by an amazing chorus and some more goodies for you to explore.
“Code of Honour” is an old HITTMAN song, originally written before their debut album. It carries that QUEENSRYCHE meets FIFTH ANGEL magic touch and is built under the logic of a Melodic Metal song that would stick into your mind from the first listening -well OK, nothing can beat “The Ledge” into that process, but ok this one is a cool track as well-.
“Total Amnesia” will take you by storm, -no matter the title-, while “1000 Souls” brings again in the foreground the amazing skill of this band to deliver catchy compositions
“Out In The Cold” is also an old HITTMAN composition, taking us back to their pre debut era. This is a Melodic US Metal anthem, bringing into our minds the shining moments of the second FIFTH ANGEL album.
The final track of the album which is called “Love, ‘The Assassin'” is the most complex on this release, it carries that special ryche-ish “Operation Mindcrime” touch, it consists by many amazing themes, a catchy chorus and an wonderful solo.
HITTMAN returned back in action with a record that matters. It includes amazing tracks and it represents a talented band, but there is something more that makes this record so special and so important -like I pointed on the introduction of this text-:
The HITTMAN comeback album reminds us that the Melodic, US Power / Prog Metal is still here and it can be as classy as it was in the late 80s. During an era -the current one- that there are almost NO records released under this genre by NEW bands, the veterans return showing to everybody how it is done.
Dig this one, you would not regret it. It will be released September 25th on No Remorse Records.
We are discussing “The Ledge” single on our forum pages: here.
We are discussing the album on our forum pages: here.
We played some HITTMAN on our radio shows:
