Once described as “a unique combination of hard hitting syncopated grooves, lush synth backwashes, multi-part vocal harmonies, blistering memorable leads with a focus on songwriting and emotion”, the aural adventures created by Australian quartet Hemina seek to defy any preconceived expectations of modern progressive metal. Indeed, despite the band’s penchant for 80s-inspired imagery, this should in no way be taken as a concrete representation of their music, which soars a perpetually-morphing landscape of influence, rife with stylistic landmarks of synthwave, jazz fusion, pop, R&B and gospel influence.
And yet, Hemina’s back catalog of full-length releases offers much more than just a wealth of stylistic flexibility. Spinning a web of overlapping plot points, gradual character development and progressive narrative, the quartet have used their previous three studio albums as storytelling devices that have culminated into an intricate, as-yet-ongoing conceptual adventure. Synthetic (2011), Nebulae (2014) and Venus (2016) were met with critical acclaim, each telling a story in their own right. Though each may be enjoyed as fantastic standalone albums, Hemina’s attention to interwoven conceptual characters and themes across their discography has helped the band to create an “episodic” approach to their studio efforts that is seldom seen in modern progressive music.
Hemina’s exciting and exploratory brand of progressive metal isn’t confined to the studio, of course, and the band ultimately live and breathe for their stage performances. The release of Venus saw the quartet taking their music overseas, culminating in performances at Progpower Europe (Netherlands) and Euroblast (Germany). They have also supported international legends such as Uriah Heep, Kamelot, Apocalyptica and Queensryche, and shared stages with fellow Aussie legends Caligula’s Horse, Chaos Divine, Voyager, Twelve Foot Ninja, Divine Ascension and Breaking Orbit, to name but a few. Tirelessly seeking to spread their prog metal message to a wider audience, the band will soon to open for Haken on the Sydney leg of their Vector world tour.
You can purchase and stream Hemina’s previous studio albums via iTunes and Spotify. Stay tuned for more on Hemina!
Hemina is:
Douglas Skene – Vocals, Guitars and Keyboards
Mitch Coull – Guitars and Vocals
Jessica Martin – Bass and Vocals
Nathan McMahon – Drums, Percussion and Vocals
Social Media Links:
Website – www.hemina.com.au
Bandcamp – www.hemina.bandcamp.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com/heminamusic
YouTube – www.youtube.com/heminaofficial
Instagram – www.instagram.com/heminaofficial
