It feels like people have sort of given up on doing prog metal with clean vocals, no? Or maybe that’s just me? Or maybe I just started giving up on that area due to its general lack of ingenuity in musical terms and veered more heavily into extreme prog. Regardless, Eastern High have just recently released their second album, titled succinctly Halo, and it’s definitely one of the better examples of straight-up prog metal done with emphasis on brighter tonalities.
The band definitely doesn’t have to mention that they’re from Sweden as, to me at least, it’s abundantly clear from the sound of their songs. I’m not sure how to put it exactly into words, but the same way you can instantly recognize Gothenburg melodeath, the same goes for this. There’s just some inherent quality to it.
Anyway, down to the music, right? Halo is your classic prog metal affair in many ways and doesn’t seem to particularly rustle any conventions. It has a good drive behind it; it’s plenty engaging; it has some epic atmosphere thrown in too, although it somehow doesn’t rise beyond that. It’s like some kind of sparkle is missing to make this a really great record.
There are a lot of fun riffs, catchy leads, plenty of nice melodies, and a varied palette of ideas. So, what gives? It is definitely the fact that there aren’t any things which reach into the unconventional. It’s also the fact that while the record appears to be consistent, it’s the type of consistent which doesn’t manage to make that one of its virtues. Sure, on my first listen I can say I was actually surprised, but down the line on my fifth listen, it all just felt like a long string of the same thing. It’s that type of consistency that strays into being linear, unfortunately.
There are moments like at the end of “Erosion of Hearts” where we get like a very metal climax, which give me something real to hang on to and really enjoy my time. “Notorious Enemy” also does this with its very catchy main riff and a mid-song semi-breakdown which is really good. These are actually pretty memorable moments and it’s really a shame there aren’t more of these to make the album stand out properly.
I think that the saving grace of the record ultimately lies in the production quality. The instrument tones are very good. The drums sound full-bodied and they are imaged neatly throughout. The rhythm guitar is really chunky and has a nice crunch to it, while the lead has a sweet crisp tone which cuts effortlessly when it’s time for it to shine. The bass doesn’t particularly stand out in any way, but it does its job without reproach -- so there’s that. The vocals are also recorded well and seem to be thoughtfully mixed into the blend.
If you’re a fan of this type of prog metal, you’re bound to get a few hearty kicks out of Halo or maybe even dig it a lot. To me, unfortunately, it’s just a solid album that I won’t be revisiting anytime soon, but I will definitely recommend it to whoever needs something like it.
