Review Hella
There's No 666 In Outer Space

1. Year: 2007
2. Style: INDIE
3. Rating:

Hella realizes its potentials

For many of non-standard rock music fans such notions as math-rock and experimentation have been associated with Californian duo Hella for several years already since Spencer Seim and Zach Hill decided to play together. The band has had it ups and downs with the latter prevailing significantly as there have been little of those who could easily perceive penetrating and complicated works typical of math rock. Certainly the 2005 record Church Gone Wild/Chirpin, on which the guys have practically made two independent albums, has found its listeners, and such renowned teams as Out Hud, System of a Down and The Mars Volta even invited them on tours. Yet they would probably never have such success if it were not for decision to somehow smooth the most acute points of their works. For that purpose last year the duo turned into a quintet: Hill’s cousin Josh, Spencer’s former band-mate Carson McWhirter and vocalist Aaron Ross joined the musicians. Due to the latter the collective’s sounding changed the most. The outcome of all these can be heard on There's No 666 In Outer Space, an album that presents new Hella finally realizing its potentials.

Everything is calculated on There's No 666 In Outer Space

There's No 666 In Outer Space consisting of 11 track gains greatly because of the contrast between technicality of musicians’ playing and Ross’s unbridled piercing vocals. If before lyrics played rather a secondary part this time the singer evidently is placed in the foreground determining a track’s main theme. The names of compositions are interesting as well. For example, track The Things That People Do When They Think No Ones Looking – provocative, catchy and promising. Song Hand That Rocks The Cradle undoubtedly has some deep meaning as well as philosophic Friends Don't Let Friends Win. Irony filling track Anarchists Just Wanna Have Fun is alternated by hopelessness of Dull Fangs, and the album’s evident highlight appears to be song The Ungrateful Dead, in which the vocalist has remarkably expressed strength and morbidness of experienced emotions. The opener World Series introduces the general slant of the record with impetuous rhythm and pleases with incredible drum solo. It is one of the longest songs on There's No 666 In Outer Space, and the other lengthy composition is final title one. It seems the guys have calculated everything from structure to content, and it is going to take time to make it all clear.

Extra pluses of Hella’s creative work

Reputation Hella has earned during its existence does not do it too much credit. The band’s line-up has changed several times with only two members remaining in it all the time, hence its classification as a duo. Tendency to independence, too much attention paid to the technique, obscure texts and abundant experimentation have almost brought the guys to a complete fiasco. So no wonder that little could expect things to be so different only in two years. After so many difficulties left behind the members of Hella seem to have finally found their style that is going to be appreciated by much wider udience than before and There's No 666 In Outer Space serves the best prove of that. All obligatory components of the music the band has played since its foundation have been preserved on the new record, namely amazing multilayer drum work with constant change of speed and manner of playing, guitar riffs of most complicated metric signature and the usage of sax in some compositions. The new vocalist’s addition has given so many extra pluses to Hella’s creative work that it has nothing to worry about any more. Just leaving the caprice in the past will guarantee its further success.