Hybrid Circle
A Matter Of Faith

There is music and music, listener and listener.
There are straightforward and no-frills albums, others hyper-technical and polished. There are those who love aggression and impact, and those who prefer instrumental technique and crystal-clear riffs.

The new album by the Abruzzese prog-tech metallers Hybrid Circle is not an immediate album, one of those you listen to the first time and you're either hooked (or not). To appreciate it (or hate it, let's always use the conditional) requires several listens, and believe me, perhaps even after putting it in rotation several times, you might not be able to perceive all the nuances it contains. Formally speaking, we could say that it is a good step forward compared to their debut “Before history,” definitely more focused artistically and rich in interesting solutions on the instrumental front. A work that, besides boasting a series of excellent songs, also showcases our band's capabilities in production, managed by the band itself and assisted in mastering by a well-known name like Tony Lindgren.

Another added value of this “A matter of faith” is Felix Martin, a renowned guitarist featured here as a guest. In short, many good things. But what is concerning is precisely its lack of immediacy. The sextet has managed to bring something eccentric and fierce enough to please a public attentive to songwriting, but is this really the category in which Hybrid Circle wants to position itself?! Honestly, I have doubts, as their offering is open to various sonic environments.

The fact that they are excellent musicians is clear and evident, the ability to combine this talent with what we could simply define as spontaneity, a bit less. And it is precisely on this aspect that the band needs to work hard, as the market is full of complex riffs and ingenious solutions, but virtuoso and natural bands are a bit less common. An example to consider? Protest The Hero above all, a group with which Hybrid Circle had the pleasure of sharing the stage in 2014.

Finally, the concept of the album is interesting, a mix of religion, science fiction, and futurism resulting from deep study. A work with chiaroscuro tones, this "A matter of faith" is beautiful and complete in many aspects, a bit too "packaged" in others.