Hanging Garden – Into That Good Night

Band: Hanging Garden
Title: Into That Good Night
Label: Lifeforce Records
Release date: 15 November 2019
Country: Finland
Format reviewed: Digital Promo

Often, when I find some bands in the underground scenario that I really like, I wonder how come I have never heard from them before. Such wonders go out especially to those bands that have been around for what seems like forever and yet have managed to slip me by.
HANGING GARDEN is one of those bands. I am ashamed to say it but never have I even heard of this band mentioned, and I blame myself just as much as I blame everyone else who sat on this knowledge and never bothered to even utter the name in my direction.

Here we have a group who started out in 2004. First demo was released two years later and a debut album a year after that. Since than four more full length albums have been released, along with EPs and singles, and just now on the 15h of November, the sixth full length album joins the pool of accomplishments. It appears as if the little finish group have had their hands full for the past 15 years and I have much to catch up on.

“Into That Good Night”, after a quick first run through, reminded me of bands such as Eluveitie who have that specific sound you just know is them. It’s easy to become fascinated by a fast run of an album and curious about finding out more and even through just quick moments and few seconds HANGING GARDEN managed to pull me in.

The intro, “Of Love and Curses”, caught me by surprise because it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. A part of me was waiting for the hurdy gurdys and the liras to start but instead I got a delightful reminder of somewhat middle era Disturbed, without the heavy Wengren signature drumming but with the Insomnium signature guitar sound they refuse to ever let go of. It’s a mixture I had given up on ever getting to hear, combining two of my most intriguing pleasures in life.

Clean singing combined with growling in a modern gloomy suit with a Dawn of Solace vibe is a good way to describe “Fear, Longing, Hope and the Night”. This album so far had been the essence of beauty with the wide soundscape and the groups´ ability to show off their instruments with simple music. The gloomy-ness continues on, although quite picked up as the album progresses. “Into That Good Night” appears to build up more aggressive heaviness but ends with a soft piano which fuses into “Rain”. The fluidity feels so flawless that it doesn’t even feel like an album with 8 different tracks.

The joke was on me because before I knew it I was out of tracks. “Anamnesis” turned into “Navigator” both on the heavy doom side with a similar tempo for head banging activities. Slightly progressive sounding it didn’t cause disappointment.

“Signs of Affection” closes this delight of an album causing me to come to by believe that this group is a unit that works together, not a bunch of musicians that take turns showboating. And it is the strong side of the band for sure, leading to simple yet catchy melodies, groovy sounds and diverse vocal arrangements. It’s a pleasant experience that will make time stand still for a brief moment before having to return to the real world. 7.5/10 Julia

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7.5/10 Victory is Possible!
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