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Hacktivist - Hyperdialect review



Reviewer:
6.0

19 users:
6.63
Band: Hacktivist
Album: Hyperdialect
Release date: June 2021


01. Anti Emcees
02. Luminosity
03. Lifeform
04. Armoured Core [feat. Kid Bookie]
05. Turning The Tables
06. Currency
07. Hyperdialect [feat. Aaron Matts]
08. Dogs Of War
09. Ultima Dies
10. Planet Zero
11. How Dare You Exist
12. Reprogram

Where were you four years ago?

Ten years since Hacktivist formed and it can be said that the band have experienced mixed fortunes over the last decade; from the hype and highs of their self-titled debut EP nine years ago through years of irregular releases, the band have never been able to press home their power like they had once threatened to. Now in 2021, the band are back once again with their second full-length album Hyperdialect, a record that seems to fluctuate between sounding dated and yet modern at the same time, but ultimately doesn't live up to the years.

With little in the way of introductions, Hyperdialect bursts out of the gate with the opening track "Anti Emcees", a song that shows that though the world has changed around them, Hacktivist have stuck true to their guns. The band's mix of djent guitars with rap metal can still hit hard when the band are firing on all cylinders, with "Lifeform" and "Planet Zero" showing what the band are capable of. The crushing djent-infused guitars come courtesy of the latest addition to the fold, James Hewitt; alongside the acerbic rapping of J and Maxi, you have a blunt and direct attack that doesn't waste time with pleasantries.

The band are at their best when they have a target in their sights and go for the killshot, taking their cue from the likes of Rage Against The Machine, when the anger is palpable and it infuses the tracks with a running thread of visceral anger. The title track is a prime example of this; this rallying cry against the erosion of democracy over the prior decade is coupled with a hard-hitting soundtrack that catches a flame and scorches the earth in front of them. For old school fans of the band, tracks like "Turning Tables" will remind of the days of their debut EP with its sharp mix of biting rap and heavy-hitting djent.

Unfortunately for Hacktivist, the flip side of their relevancy is that it mostly pertains to their lyrical and thematic content, as musically the band fall between the cracks of tech metal and modern rap; the band have gone from sounding cutting-edge to hanging on to a trend that has moved on since the band were at their heights. Tracks like "Luminosity" can hint at tech metal, but it is a tenuous link at best and the band sound like a holdover from the djent days, while the rap metal part of their sound (a la "Currency") hasn't kept pace with modern rap.

As incendiary as tracks like "Armoured Core" are, providing a good soundtrack for a session of cathartic headbanging, the song doesn't provide much more than that, and as a result isn't eminently memorable, and much of the album leaves only faint impressions on your consciousness. This leads into Hyperdialect's other main issue, namely that the band's style also proves to be a straitjacket for them in its current guise, with much of the album sounding very limited and similiar to each other. The crushing introductions to "Lifeform" and "Currency" are good, but are seemingly interchangeable when looking back at them after finishing listening to the album.

Hyperdialect is an album brimming with power and purpose, taking no prisoners as it laces biting attacks with rallying cries for all within earshot, but is lacking in much beyond that. Had Hacktivist been able to bring out this album sooner, it would likely have hit much harder than it does, but coupled with what is now a somewhat dated feel and limited scope, Hyperdialect is an album with unfulfilled potential and one that is unlikely to leave a lasting impression on its listeners.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 5
Songwriting: 5
Originality: 6
Production: 7





Written on 19.06.2021 by Just because I don't care doesn't mean I'm not listening.


Comments

Comments: 2   Visited by: 32 users
21.06.2021 - 12:51
Rating: 7
musclassia

This was actually not too bad, at least for me; I've not really liked their stuff before but I got through the whole album without any particular urge to skip anything and enjoyed quite a few of the songs
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24.06.2021 - 12:50
JoHn Doe

Not bad at all, but not as good as their previous album.
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I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
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