Power metal’s new champion, or its squire?
DYING VICTIMS PRODUCTIONS is proud to present HEXTAR’s highly anticipated debut album, Doomsayer, on CD and vinyl LP formats.
Hailing from the trad-metal hotbed of Italy, HEXTAR were formed in November 2018 by the hands of Marco Scattolin (guitar), Emiliano Zinà (bass, then also backing vocals), and Andrea Feltrin (drums). Shortly after, Edoardo Loreggian joined and sang on the self-titled debut EP, released in April 2020 amidst the first Covid lockdowns. Edoardo left during the summer of 2020 due to stylistic differences, and with Emiliano now on vocals, the band released the single “Keep Our Flame Alive” during February of 2021. The title would prove prescient, as HEXTAR the band kept working on writing their first full-length, the then-to-be-titled Doomsayer, which would begin production during September 2022. Shortly after the drum recordings, the band had to part ways with Andrea due to personal issues. They then decided to keep working on the album behind the scenes while looking for a replacement, which came in the form of Amedeo Paolini, who joined in March 2023. The production of the album finally came to a close in October 2023, when HEXTAR were also joined by a long-sought second guitarist, Niccolò Giacometti.
At last here, Doomsayer is a big & boisterous blast of classic metal heroism. Ever since their inception, HEXTAR aimed at writing a style of power metal reminiscent of the genre’s early days. From early Helloween to likewise-early Blind Guardian, the inspirations can be heard aplenty across Doomsayer, but HEXTAR are nothing if not true heavy metal maniacs, and thus will one find plenty more traditional metal-oriented elements across the album. For those whose hearts similarly beat true, this debut album will tread some familiar territory, but territory that’s explored with power and personality, charisma and catchiness. Influences aside, which can’t be cataloged as easily as naming a couple foundational names of the genre, HEXTAR’s ultimate goal is to craft songs which can be simultaneously anthemic and laced with just enough complexity, pushing and pounding forward to song structures that are unexpected and varied but never nonsensical. Similarly, Zinà’s vocals display a wide range of note choices and timbres whilst remaining focused on heavy metal heroism; indeed, a great deal of the magic and machismo of Doomsayer comes down to his going-for-it throat. Nevertheless, HEXTAR are truly a full unit here, playing their hearts out together like a band of brothers, a brigade of warriors who wield fantastical guitar solos like dread swords.
A veritable blast from the past that’s thankfully set to slay the present, HEXTAR arrive on a plume of dragon fire with Doomsayer!
LINEUP
Emiliano Zinà – Bass, Vocals
Marco Scattolin – Guitars
Amedeo Paolini – Drums
Niccolò Giacometti – Guitar
REVIEW
HEXTAR pulled no punches when designing their band logo, it’s superbly over-the-top. The massive letter X makes the first half of the band name almost seem witchery by association (because hexes).
And ooh wee, that album cover is golden. It really made me recall MIDNIGHT FORCE’s “Gododdin” album cover from 2019, as both feature that always pleasant stained glass look. This cover wouldn’t look out of place in a lineup of late 80s/mid 90s power metal, top marks.
“Doomsayer” begins with “Skies of Strife”, a 1:40 second introductory track that kicks us off with some great synths that made me think of 80s dark fantasy film scores. A spoken voice recites what can only be called a prophecy as the synths build and the ambiance grows (and they say the title of the album).
Following that, our first proper taste of HEXTAR is “Nothing is Eternal”, which wastes precisely 0 seconds before blistering out of the gates with a near-speed metal assault. There’s a lot going on in this one, not in a means that feels overdone or anything, but it took me a bit before my brain acclimated to the aura of it all. The drumming from Paolini is the real star of the track for me, but the rest of the band aren’t slouches either. Vocals didn’t mesh with me at first, but they grew on me quite a bit as the song progressed, and the guitarwork is superb. I would call this HEXTAR’s ‘show off’ song (think like METALLICA’s “Hit the Lights”), it’s the band showing off what they can do.
Then came “The Otherworldly Sin”, an 8 minute opus. Seeing a lengthy song can be daunting a lot of times, but I’m on a prog rock kick right now, so 8 minutes is child’s play. Nice harmonic leadwork to start us off, accompanied nicely by a crisp drumbeat, that clearly builds to something, and so it did. Rupturing forth in my speed metal glory, and I’ve got to shoutout the beautiful guitar in the background, it might’ve been keys, but I couldn’t quite tell. If the previous track was where the drumming really shined, then this one was where the guitars took center stage and showcased their flexibility with several tempo changes and skill with an arsenal of great riffs and solos. The previously mentioned beautiful guitar returned in full force at the 3:40 mark, eventually bleeding into a great little shift in the song as a standout solo took over. This one verges on ‘epic’ status and would take a few more listens to really feel the magnitude of it. The near doomy guitar outro was a great way to cap this one off!
After that, it was time for the “Hour of Glory”, which started with a riff that I can only describe as sounding like a heavy metal version of a 90s alternative riff (if that makes any sense). It’s a nice breath of fresh air from the blitzkrieg of the previous two tracks. Here’s where the bass started to make its presence felt, or as best as a bassist can do that. The chorus really stuck out as well, very much like 90s GAMMA RAY, it’s got that Kai Hansen flair to it. It’s a proper earworm of a song, and it makes sense that it was chosen to be one of the singles. If I were to introduce someone to HEXTAR, this would probably be the song (so far…)
Next was the “Crestfallen Hunter’s Tale”, which uses my favorite word in the English language in the title and is an automatic 10/10. Crackling fires, a squawking crow, the trampling of hooves, and more dark fantasy ambiance begin this one, before the leads take over with some great sustain and harmony work. Killer way to open your track, mates! As things divulge to the tried and true speed metal faire, I found myself thinking that this song felt very well put together. The vocal delivery from Zinà is much different in this one, and it has that storyteller quality that I’m a massive fan of. That gorgeous chanty bit towards the end was a chef’s kiss on top of a great track.
To begin what I’ll call the ‘second half’ of “Doomsayer” (It’s 9 tracks, I’m winging it), we have “The Fight Beyond the Sleep”. A proper epic beginning here, as the chanting arrives in unison with the sustained guitar wails. This one really reminded me of someone, but I wasn’t able to put a finger on who it was, and it began to drive me insane. There was an almost operatic cadence in the way the lyrics were delivered at points, something that I will always appreciate. Zinà’s held note before a brief spat of insane laughter was very Dickinson-esque, high-praise coming from a self-professed IRON MAIDEN fanboy.
Then it was time for “A Requiem for Fools”, and it’s super cool that bands are naming songs after me now. Anyway, this one begins with fierce winds whipping about before a wonderful acoustic guitar enters the fray. It’s all very BLIND GUARDIAN (maybe that’s who they remind me of), and as a lover of both BG and of medieval tavern style music, this was very much up my alley.
That brought us to “Doomsayer”, the title track. Zinà gets to lead us with a grooving bassline that is eventually joined in by the remainder of the band. HEXTAR’s cohesion was really felt in the beginning stages of this one. The delivery on the song title was perfection personified! I think GAMMA RAY is the band that I was thinking of that HEXTAR reminded me of, though my sample size of GR is pretty small. The ‘oh-oh-oh’ section near the 2/3 mark was great, as such sections usually are. It’s a recipe for success.
Finally, we come to “The Story so Far”, and its opening very much reminded me of MALMSTEEN and other neoclassical acts. The instruments maintain a constant thrashy barrage while Zinà shows off his pipes. His vocal style is sort of a mix between Dickinson and Hansen. Power metal isn’t usually my realm of expertise, which is odd I know, but this track had pretty much all of the pieces in power (album title?) that I typically like, but I didn’t find it really clicking with me on this one.
CONCLUSION
This will be an odd one for me to rate. While all of the pieces are there and everyone is giving it their all and showcasing their skill at their respective position, I couldn’t help but feel like each song had something missing, but not the same thing for each song. “Crestfallen Hunter’s Tale” was a clear standout for me, and I believe this is one that will grow on me as time passes (as power metal usually does). As it stands, I would call this one an acquired taste and think that folks who are hugely into modern power metal will dig it a lot.
TheNWOTHM Score: 7/10
HEXTAR’s “Doomsayer” releases on 24th May, 2024
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