Hadal Sherpa. 2017 Finland

Every once in awhile I'll receive a recommendation on a new album to try. But it's very rare for me to receive three strong recs from trusted advisers, and that's exactly what happened last year with Hadal Sherpa, a new space rock band from Finland. I purchased the CD last year, but as these things tend to go, I'm just now getting around to listening to it.

And the reason for all the buzz behind Hadal Sherpa becomes obvious upon listening. Anyone who knows me personally or has read my notes will know that I enjoy an excellent rendition of the sound that Ozric Tentacles (and Gong / Here&Now before them) created years ago. Especially the Finnish school. The album opens up surprisingly subdued with the 2 part 'Nautilus', a mid paced number with flute and melodic guitars. Things began to pick up considerably with 'Chafa Azeno' reminding me quite a bit of Ozric's 'Bizarre Bazaar' (from Strangeitude) without the silly bits. 'Ikaros' takes the baton and runs faster. It's here the album begins to draw you into its vortex. Then, as these albums tend to do, you get smacked with the 1-2 punch of awesomeness. 'Heracleion' is packed with ideas, with smoldering guitars, and Middle Eastern/Eastern Asian themes. A highly energetic piece, that never sits in one place too long. This leads to the album's piece de resisitance , the brilliant 'Marracech' where blazing bouzouki battles the dual guitars and synthesizers, all the while demonstrating even more ADD than the predecessor. Imagine Hidria Spacefolk covering Embryo's Steig Aus album, and you have an idea of the excellence found here. 'Abyss' slows things down a bit, bringing forth a 1969 Pink Floyd vibe, and then accelerates later on. 'Black Elk' is another rip roaring track, though by this time one is exhausted from burning too many calories air jamming. If I had a complaint, I would suggest a better production next time. The album sounds a bit thin at times. These kind of albums require a thick, meaty production.

If you're a fan of Hidria Spacefolk, Taipuva Luotisuora, Moonwagon, and Dasputnik, then it's hard to imagine Hadal Sherpa not registering in the red zone. Perhaps not an entirely new concept, but the execution is superb.

Ownership: CD: 2017 private. Digi-pak. According to Discogs, there are 2 presses. The first was a run of only 300 followed by a repress of 500. This is a good sign, as it's nice to see CDs still selling on albums of quality.

7/18/18 (new entry)