There is a wonderful conundrum at the heart of “Joy,” the latest single from Hibernator, and it is from such ironies and anomalies that the best music seems to grow…and indeed thrive. While discussing how difficult it is to overcome the old creative enemy of writer’s block and to find a unique voice, the band actually sounds like such issues have never bothered them in the slightest.
“Hibernator” might seem to build their music from fairly recognizable sounds and styles, but the amount of them they engage with and how they put them together, the complexity and juxtaposition of the build process, makes “Joy” a….well, a joy to behold. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)
Weighty alt-rock grooves, indie-riffs, and busy beats drive infectious, almost pop-like vocals. The sonic weight builds as the song heads towards its final destination; numerous musical tones and creative textures are garnered and gathered, and the song finally explodes in unexpected screamo vocals. From here on, with everything in place, the song ebbs and flows between technical metal and understated interludes, rock muscle, and accessible melody.
Too many bands turn their backs on the past, thinking that whatever went before is old hat or retrospective. Hibernator understands that all the heavy lifting has already been done by those who have gone before, and all they have to do is take those existing inspirations and innovations, ideas, and sonic imaginations and fit them together in new and exciting ways.
This is the result of old sounds being retooled for the modern age.
