Review
Shai Hulud
Reach Beyond The Sun

Despite their age and influence, Shai Hulud have rarely been the focal point of underground music. Sure, they've toured internationally, had some notable members during their time and have been released by some well-regarded labels; they've also had a permanently fluctuating lineup, periods of inactivity and a troubled relationship with the genre their guitarist, Matt Fox, coined- metalcore. However, they've recently gained attention for their performance at the recent Revelation Records showcase, as well as the positive reappraisal given to their debut album 'Hearts Once Nourished With Hope And Compassion.' Combining the stomp and spirit of hardcore with the unabashed technicality and lyrical concepts of metal, the 1997 album was the apotheosis of that Krishna-beaded, skate-shorted decade. It was the musical premiere of Chad Gilbert, who needs no introduction; now, fifteen years after leaving the band, he returns on production and vocal duties. 

If not for that reason alone, 'Reach Beyond The Sun' may be seen in a different light; possibly as a retrospective of Shai Hulud's career, as it features numerous former members. Perhaps it'll be an attempt to gain some new-school relevance, with members of Reign Supreme, The Ghost Inside and Alpha & Omega guesting. Or maybe it'll just be be a workout in the groups hard-as-hell signature take on metal-infused hardcore. The last option seems most likely. 'Welcome to the new age where wealth is weighed in spirit!' Gilbert screams, seconds into opener 'The Mean Spirits Breathing.' The track is a classic Hulud- pounding breakdowns and blazing fretwork, with a shifting structure. One of the idiosyncrasies of Hulud's sound is their ability to throw off the listener, whether it be the midway riffing-into-gang vocals of 'Man into Demon: And Their Faces Are Twisted with the Pain of Living' or the fraught mass of vocals at the end of 'At Least a Plausible Case for Pessimism.' Guitarist Matt Fox is on top of his game as ever, whether it be the melodic intricacies of 'At Least a Plausible Case for Pessimism' or the strangely catchy introduction to the title track, well contrasted with the drum work of relative newcomer Tony DelMonego. In contrast to Fox's desire to shred, DelMonego acts as a sort of lifeguard, pulling the track away from the edge of tanking. If time has shown us anything, it's that one of Shai Huluds main flaws is their self-indulgent tendencies. 

This can be heard in one of the most hyped aspects of the record: the four-headed vocal gangbang of Damien Moyal, Matt Mazzali, Chad Gilbert and Geert van der Velde on 'Medicine To The Dead.' It's really a case of something appearing good on paper, but less so in practice. It marks a welcome return to form for van der Velde, giving a chaotic and passionate performance. However, there is little continuity between the shifting styles; perhaps they would've been better off divided up onto other tracks. Furthermore, one of Hulud's key features has always been its commitment to technical instrumentation and it doesn't lack that here. 'Reach Beyond The Sun' would do nothing for any listeners wishing to reconsider Shai Hulud, as they ardently stick to their stylistic guns. Perhaps in their crafting of metalcore as an individualistic sound, it has ironically given them tunnel vision over how to progress creatively. That said, they have trimmed down the title lengths and the lyrics are just that little less apocalyptic, so some changes are there. 

Overall, this is yet another Shai Hulud album. Furious, complex instrumentation, combined with raw passionate vocals, given life by the immaculate production of Chad Gilbert. However, for a longterm listener of the band, there's little here you haven't heard before in some earlier form, if not just limited to vocalists. For any newcomers, it'd probably serve too steep a learning curve to get down with proper metalcore. However, despite many years in the game, there is little sign of the old beast slowing down yet.