Review: Hammerhedd – Nonetheless

Style: Groove Metal, Prog Metal, Sludge Metal (mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Gojira, Pantera, Mastodon, Meshuggah
Review by: Sabrina
Country: US-KS
Release date: February 24, 2023

Do you guys remember the kids from that YouTube video who got famous for being “The youngest metal band better than Metallica”? Yeah, well they’re still around, now on their third album. Before getting into Nonetheless, let’s take a moment to look through their discography.

Hammerhedd began as a relatively straightforward technical thrash metal and 90s groove metal inspired band with some minor progressive sensibilities, releasing a debut EP that got really popular being temporally adjacent to their YouTube video. Not a bad start for a first album, though their production sound was muddy, the band showed that they’re quite technical with their instruments and that they know their way around writing a solid riff. Despite being a technical thrash metal album made by children, I found this album to be fairly overrated at face value.

Personally, it was not until their first LP, the aptly named Grand Currents, that I became truly impressed with their songwriting. This is the kind of album I’ve always wanted to exist but never knew was out there. For those uncultured, the very first djent album was Meshuggah’s 1994 EP None: a perfect fusion between the thick chuggs from Pantera’s Far Beyond Driven and Meshuggah’s sharper and more mechanical Destroy, Erase, Improve; since then, I feel like no true sequel to None has ever come out. However, Hammerhedd’s Grand Currents is probably the closest we’ll get to that exact sound. I know many will not share my opinion, but I love this album. If groove metal is anything real¹, these guys have written the chonkiest, grooviest groove metal album I’ve heard from underground prog metal; the Platonic ideal groove metal album.

“But Sabrina! This is not a Grand Currents review! Cut to the chase with Nonetheless already!”

A three-year gap separates their first LP and Nonetheless. Here Hammerhedd expands their sound significantly while remaining true to their signature style. As one might imply prima facie, the tone of this album is less like a constant barrage of crashing waves like in Grand Currents; rather Nonetheless is more ominous and subtle.

The riffs often take on the role of bridging the gap between the album’s atmospheric builds and its intense climaxes. Slithering like a Tool-riff from the menacing Jaws-esque bass chords, somber keys, and atmospheric guitar padding to the aggressive Gojira/Pantera style shouts, angular riffs, intense drum fills, and clashing cymbals. Some of Nonetheless’ best climaxes also take the form of these staccato/syncopated breakdowns where you can’t help but be impressed with how good the musician synergy is; this can also be said for the solos and jazzy interludes on the longer tracks.

Additionally, I’m pleased to say that this album has no bad tracks! This is a very good indicator of the artists’ restraint and ability to repeatedly refine one’s compositions. I’m usually quite disappointed seeing albums bloated with songs that are too long and tracks that are too mediocre. And it is not often that I read reviews that praise transition tracks; I generally like transition tracks, but I’ve had album of the year contenders that have god-awful instrumental interludes that almost ruin the album. “Down the Hall and to Your Left” and “Lost” are just the right length and contribute substantially to the album’s flavorful experience, speaking tall tales with few words.

While this album is not the perfect niche that its predecessor was, it exceeds with its grandeur, creativity, progressive songwriting, and even in its instrumental technicality (and I am certainly including the vocals). What I loved about Grand Currents is still here–its chugging, hypnotic riffs, but now Nonetheless feels a lot more like a complete piece of art rather than the common man’s headbanger-fest. The back-to-back success of Nonetheless and Grand Currents show that Hammerhedd are amongst the elite core of underground progressive groove metal bands, maybe even rivaling some of the greats.

Recommended tracks: Fruition, Pioneer to Be, The Richest Man in Town, Nonetheless
You may also like: Pull Down the Sun, Eyes Fly, Barús, Tersivel, Hacride
Final verdict: 7.5/10

Related links: Official Website | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Metal-Archives page

Label: Independent

Hammerhedd is:
– Abe Ismert (bass)
– Eli Ismert (drums)
– Henry Ismert (guitars, vocals)

¹ My fellow reviewer Andy would say otherwise.