Hiraki – Stumbling Through These Walls LP (Nefarious Industries)

It has been a while since I wrote about a band like this. Whoever talked about music with me got the idea that love for noise rock and post-hardcore music lurks somewhere inside. Therefore, this band came like a bit of pleasant surprise that unquestionably made my day. Hiraki is a powerful Danish trio that roams the underground scene for a while. Recently, they’ve released a tremendous brand new material called Stumbling Though The Walls that carries several complementary genres. The band previously released a cassette release named Modern Genes, which demands your uttermost attention, but wait until you hear a brand new material.

Stumbling Through The Walls represents their second full-length material that consists of powerful, detailed, darkened compositions. Hiraki heavily promoted this material over social media with a couple of singles, such as The Alarmist and Common Fear, which instantly gathered positive critics of the underground music scene. It seems like Hiraki are avoiding detailed classification into several genres, so they call their style synthpunk, which is quite an appropriate term to describe their illustrious music. Nevertheless, there are even more genres involved in this energetic exploration through a vast universe of underground sound. Their music involves elements of noise rock, post-hardcore, hardcore, post punk, and industrial, but you’ll probably stumble upon some other ingredients along the way as well.

What surprises me the most is a dosage of darkness, chaos, and dynamics, packed within each number. Hiraki demonstrates anxious, chaotic, obscure, energetic sound from scratch to finish, no matter if they’re leaning towards ferocious post-hardcore sound or keeping their orchestrations into slightly calmer waters. The synths are unquestionably the most dominant instruments on Stumbling Through The Walls. The group pays a lot of attention to the electronic side of this material through detailed sequences, ambiances, melodies, harmonies, noises, accentuations, and other synthy delicacies. However, the guitar also plays one of the most important roles when it comes to the massively melodic, robust, powerful output of the group. The guitar maneuvers are mainly responsible for the post-hardcore, hardcore, and noise rock side of the Hiraki, while the exceptional drumming delivers another generous serving of relentless dynamics. Uncompromising lead vocals are layering these orchestrations with feral shoutouts, screams, and other articulations that are uplifting this material on an entirely new level. This band nailed with this material in every possible way.

Perhaps their music will remind you of some renowned bands who’re incorporating electronics and synths in their music, but Hiraki appears as a more unique, interesting, and energetic group than any other similar band in this branch. Stumbling Through The Walls comes on clear vinyl, but it is also available on streaming services. Head over to the Nefarious Industries for more detailed information about ordering.