| Musical Style: Hard Rock | Produced By: Dino Elefante & George Ochoa |
| Record Label: Girder Music | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2024 | Artist Website: Human Code |
| Tracks: 10 | Rating: 85% |
| Running Time: 48:23 |
Break The Silence, the Human Code July of 2024 Girder Music debut full length, feels like a melodic heavy metal album with modern overtones. And rightly so when factoring the musical lineage to the Human Code roster, which encompasses vocalist Michael Drive (Barren Cross), guitarist George Ochoa (Worldview, Deliverance & Recon), drummer Terry Russell (Holy Soldier) and bassist Todd Libby (Worldview). Break The Silence stays true accordingly to a choice joining of melodic hard rock, power metal, straightforward heavy metal and AOR ballad based moments that fans of the bands in which the Human Code members are better known would identify. As for any modern aspects, do not be dissuaded in that while not overriding are present nonetheless but serve to flatter and lend variety as opposed to distract.
Impressing of the project is its first class professionalism. It begins with production, which Dino Elefante and Orchoa ably handle to create a crisp and clean sound devoid of any overproduction and unnecessary polish. Likewise packaging, to feature eye catching cover art courtesy of Drive and immaculate mini booklet accrediting to Scott Waters of No Life Til Metal Graphics.
Some of those modern nuances imbue albums first two songs beginning with “Break The Silence”. With modern infused guitars leading the way, albums title track grits through its feverish verse sections on the way to the every bit keyed up shouted vocal harmony driven refrain. Rhythm guitar as opposed to soloing carries the instrumental moments. Lyric snippet:
Gonna fight on my knees
Every social disease
Where the masses get a brain-wash
Till they bleed
Shine your light, get up and fight
Till the walls come down!
“Say What You Mean” amalgamates Libby’s thunderous bass with knife-edge in and out of the mix rhythm guitars. Upshot is an excided modern hard rocker with catchy hooks aplenty, only decelerating for the somber overtones that give way to the instrumental run upheld by tasteful soloing. I am reminded of All For The King, another band that successfully aligns metal with the modern. Lyric snippet:
See the liar in the shady light
Whether its day or night
His tongue is like a sword of war
Unaware of all the love; broken
Through the words; spoken
By his fibbing core
First of albums two exquisite ballads ensues in “Rain”. It proves piano based, flowing regally its first minute and half until gentle guitars and impactful drums descend and lend to the stately scene. Wondrous vocal melodies flow in to shoulder the echoing refrain. Australia’s Sonic Divide comes to mind. That said hope I am not out of line to suggest it is a bit early in the track listing for a five-minute ballad no matter how good. Lyric snippet:
I’ve a tale to tell
About a man who changed
Surrendered all he is…
Let it rain! Rain, rain on me
Oh, let it rain, Lord, let it rain
I really need Your rain on me, Rain!
At this point it must be noted the pure and powerful vocal performance of Drive. It is uncanny how he has not aged at all over the years- despite the passing of decades there is no drop off in terms of fatigue and tiredness in his delivery. It is almost as if it is still 1986, the same year as Barren Cross debut Rock For The King.
“Genetic Dysfunction” is a straight on metal slugger. This one finds Human Code shedding its modern skin for a traditional to power based heading, Barren Cross like in terms of heaviness (it would sound at home on Rattle Your Cage) with its pulsing riffs but also reminiscent to Worldview in terms of chilling melody to hold sway (Ochoa makes his mark guitar wise). Drive reaches down to add some gritty snarl to his delivery. Lyric snippet:
Devil had me on the fence
The crushing consequence
But now repentance saves
Hail to the King of Grace
You are not far from home
(You were meant to know)…
We are no more a genetic dysfunction!
“Don’t Kill The Messenger” takes a modern tinged melodic hard rock approach. It brings ample doses of unyielding groove, noting how guitars temper albeit without forsaking the abject heaviness, and understated hooks, as found in a slight radio friendly feel to rise to the surface. A truncated but ably done solo rounds things out. Lyric snippet:
What if there would come a prophet-
Warning of what you hate to hear
If that saved your life from what you hear?
What if change was what you needed
Away from what you think you love?
Find out if the message came from God
Be the wiser: don’t kill the messenger
“Evermore” revisits metal slugfest territory. This one proves one of my favorites, with a melodic joining of jazzy bass and symphonic keyboards pointing to a power basis and crunch heavy guitars revealing an equally enticing classic style bent. When further factoring the soaring refrain of a high-end category, Worldview again comes to mind. The stunning instrumental moments allow Ochoa to shine. Lyric snippet:
In a world of justice
There would be no more war
Isaac had the promise
But Ismael wanted more
So through the centuries
A brother sought for blood
Evermore, still at war
Fight with rage, through the ages
Do not let the “40 Seconds” title fool you in that the song is not aptly named in representing albums lengthiest at just over six minutes. It proves another refined ballad, emotionally intertwining piano and airy keyboards with light guitars to produce an ethereal effect certain to allure with repeat play. Flowing vocal melodies and AOR tinges further reveal a commercial essence. Lyric snippet:
Looking out my little window
See all the people there below
Wishing they could all climb in
I’m wishing only that-
It will now blow
40 seconds till the gasses burn
I’m happy to be on the list
Soon I’ll be floating way up
Another metal mauler ensues with “Socially Incorrect”. Song fades in to eerie sound effects its first minute ahead of taking off to Herculean guitars, powering through its verse sections to shattering guitar riffs only to temper slightly prior to the near thrash like resonance to the aggressive refrain. Fans of Barren Cross classics “Deadlock” or “In The Eye Of The Fire” will embrace this one. Lyric snippet:
Good is so ‘bad’ now; and wrong is so ‘right’
I’m a “social infection”,
I don’t’ dance to their lies
My refusal to conform- has a fate in this world
But I don’t care, I scoff at their evil
Take my life? My life is not here!
Album returns to melodic hard rock with “Blame Me”. A more laid-back setting prevails with guitars not quite digging to quite the extent, noting the occasional acoustic tincturing, and AOR vestiges playing the more prominent role, reinforcing the layered harmonies to adorn the dignified refrain. Guitars, however, power to the forefront for the instrumental moments. Lyric snippet:
I let a smile control my heart
And now my soul feels torn apart
When has the illusion
Removed what is real
Will wisdom replace
What I (think) that I feel?
When will I learn from the messes I made in this world
“Lying Whispers” combines aspects of the heavy and melodic. Keyboards get things going prior to full on guitars, with an exquisite feel produced from the amalgamating of each as audible hooks and catchy harmonies serve to draw in with repeat play. A calmer passage at the halfway point finds keyboards maneuver to the forefront only to give way to a reserved lead guitar run. Lyric snippet:
Does it make you wonder-
Where the ‘whispers’ come from?
Do you wonder why-
They seem to want you dead?
I know what can make you free
Surrender to the God Almight.
Break The Silence equates to a very good modern hard rock to melodic metal/hard rock to AOR ballad-based album. When further factoring the all-star line up, upshot is a cannot miss scenario. Production and packaging are up to standard as is songwriting. Yes, I wish the album had a few more technical metal cuts along lines of “Socially Incorrect” and “Evermore”, but still you can do no wrong by making Break The Silence a priority purchase.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Break The Silence” (3:30), “Say What You Mean” (3:56), “Rain” (5:10), “Genetic Dysfunction” (5:21), “Don’t Kill The Messenger” (4:29), “Evermore” (5:32), “Socially Incorrect” (4:46), “Blame Me” (4:49), “Lying Whispers” (4:33)
Musicians
Michael Drive - Lead Vocals
George Ochoa - Guitars & Keyboards
Todd Libby - Bass & Keyboards
Terry Russell - Drums
Additional Musicians
Dino Elefante - Background Vocals & Rhythm Guitar
Jimmy P. Brown II - Background Vocals
Leah Knotts - Background Vocals
