If you haven’t heard of Sheffield’s newest blackened post-metal crew Hidden Mothers, you’re about to. Their debut self-titled EP is an indulgent and striking journey through the many different sides of loss, shining lights and casting shadows as traverses its delicate territory. The end result is a small collection of cohesive and moving powerhouses that, when the EP reaches its conclusion, you’ll wish is longer than three tracks.
‘Beneath, To The Earth’ wastes no time kicking things into gear, immediately bursting in with gigantic guitars and thundering drums without any warning or build-up whatsoever. It then swells and grows into a mesmerising blend of textures, overlapping the distortion with luscious reverberated tones, distant echoes, and pained wails that chill you right down to the bone. The dynamics within the music takes many different turns, sometimes unexpectedly, twisting and convulsing one moment and softly singing you a lullaby the next.
The opening serenity of ‘My Own Worth’ provides a few moments of calm and reflection, channelling a touch of The Elijah as they sew countless delicate melodies together and juxtapose them with vicious, venomous vocals. It doesn’t stay relaxed for long though, the volatile blackened side of their sound launching into action to give you goosebumps and chills all at once.
Closer ‘My Blindness, Your Burden’ is the glistening gem in their collection, perfectly balancing the light and dark elements of their sound together to make something truly spine-tingling. None of the chord changes go where you expect them to, time signature changes take you by surprise, and the layers seemingly never stop building. Just as you think it’s building towards a shimmering climax, the track takes yet another unexpected turn, thrusting you straight into a void full of thick, slow, and menacing Deftones-esque guitars that hang over you like a poltergeist. These are three very different tracks, each showcasing a band with heaps of potential.
This EP is a big taste of what Hidden Mothers are capable of, showing numerous different sides to their writing style within just three songs. Try to picture what it might sound like if Devil Sold His Soul and Møl came together to make music – the sound you’d get would be a little something like this. Beautiful and expansive sonic landscapes are decorated with elegantly scattered strokes of blackened gloom, creating a vivid picture of a scene that’s both stunning and haunting. The raw production makes the emotive weight resonate through the songs too, making this a record that you not only enjoy, but you really feel too. For a debut EP, this is impressive.
Hidden Mothers are a band you’re going to want to really keep your eyes on. They might be a well kept secret right now, but they’re unlikely to be hidden for much longer.
DAVE STEWART