Boring, pretentious, and at times, very tedious. The only song that doesn't bore or annoy me is I Can't Take You With Me, but this is probably because it sounds just like a Kansas song.

After taking one of the quickest hours (56 minutes) of my life to listen to an album nominated for best progressive metal album of 2010, Hybrid Child sounds a little like heavy Beardfish with a cello, more complex rhythms, metal tendencies and aggression, and a strong female vocalist. At first listen (mostly the very first song) I was surprisingly disgusted, but as I let the songs flow I got used to the powerful but poppy (best word I can use to describe) vocalist, not to mention the amazing and obscure melodies from guitar, keys, cello and vocals respectively. The lyrics contain realistic social struggles and inner conflict. Definitely an album for people wanting to hear something different. It's a grace to listen to and it's great to know unique musicians - and poets - are still out there.

A mix of avant-garde rock, metal, jazz, classical, and pop music. Definitely not something for all metalheads; a little short of a masterpiece, but a fine piece of work.

Written by jadawal on 08.02.2011 at 18:45

A mix of avant-garde rock, metal, jazz, classical, and pop music. Definitely not something for all metalheads; a little short of a masterpiece, but a fine piece of work.

I guess this album did something totally different for you than me. Now I'm all for progressive/experimental/avantgarde (basically challenging) music, but I can't help but dismiss this album as an experiment failed. Sure, the album has a certain dynamic element to it that I *would* appreciate if it didn't come off as unfocused. So many clashing sounds. It seems to me that these musicians have lots of ambition, with genre blending and whatnot, but they are biting off more than they can chew. I feel that it's really obvious in the Mindscan part of the album. First off... why is it broken up into different tracks? It sounds like an assortment of interludes when listened to one song at a time. And if you treat it as one song, well... I love me some complex music, but it just sounds completely aimless. And the metal bits sound more forced than anything too.

Bands like Unexpect and Akphaezya do this kind of thing much better, I think. And if I wanted to listen to some more modern prog rock, I would definitely rather pop in a Beardfish or Phideaux album.

Written by Fat & Sassy! on 08.02.2011 at 20:09

I feel that it's really obvious in the Mindscan part of the album.

I can agree. After listening to the album four times now, I can see the weaknesses. This album fit the momentary gap for what I wanted to hear at the time. The start of the album has the poppy-but-proggy-but-rock-but-complex feel, while the second half of the album fades off in what I can define as somewhat of a failure. The vocal melodies seem to be less inspired, the complex cello and insrumentation fades away into a dreary less inviting soundscape; almost like the second half (Mindscan) was composed earlier in time. But maybe that was the point, a brief 'scan' of varying ideas; creating a 'hybrid' album(child) consisting of multiple pathways. And your right about the flow of the album - there is none. My appreciation for the album lowered, so I ended up changing my vote from a 9 to an 8, but it still came with something pretty damn original.

Written by Fat & Sassy! on 06.02.2011 at 00:29

Boring, pretentious, and at times, very tedious. The only song that doesn't bore or annoy me is I Can't Take You With Me, but this is probably because it sounds just like a Kansas song.

Can't agree more with you my little green friend, this is exactly what I think of this album, well, except for that little detail about Kansas, lol

What's wrong with me?! I heard this album last year and after only a spin or two it didn't make much of an impression. A song came up on shuffle tonight and I've been reacquainting myself with Hybrid Child ever since. Better (a year) late than never I suppose!!! Rockin out....

I have rarely listened to an album twice in the last decade because I listen to 4+ new albums a day for over a decade with 20000 albums in my music server, but this is a great one for prog rock-metal fans. I can't rate anything 10 anymore because MS deleted 15000+ of my ratings for giving 4000 albums a 10 over a decade. Sadly, they don't allow an opinion of 'flawless' as enough to merit 10s as I would give. So all my real ratings, like for this album are current rating +1.

Written by carltonh on 31.12.2023 at 04:54
I can't rate anything 10 anymore because MS deleted 15000+ of my ratings for giving 4000 albums a 10 over a decade. Sadly, they don't allow an opinion of 'flawless' as enough to merit 10s as I would give. So all my real ratings, like for this album are current rating +1.

You're distorting reality. Nobody has enjoined you from giving 10s. But the fact is, you had 4,500 straight 10s and 5,500 9s, resulting in an average rating of over 9.0. This is a clear violation of our rules. Even if you don't want to respect these simple principles that apply to every user, common sense should be enough to get a rough idea of what voting behavior is acceptable and what is not.
In a nutshell: if your ratings are so unusual that it would undermine the purpose of the entire rating system if every user voted like you, then your ratings are not okay. It's actually needless to say that you can't really take a database in which 80% of all albums are perfect masterpieces seriously, but this is exactly what Metal Storm would look like if every user voted the way you have in the past.

Written by carltonh on 31.12.2023 at 04:54
I have rarely listened to an album twice in the last decade because I listen to 4+ new albums a day for over a decade with 20000 albums in my music server

This just shows that you have lost all sense of moderation. How can you consider 4,500 albums to be flawless if you don't have an insatiable desire to listen to every single one of them over and over again just because they are so incredibly great? And how can you call so many albums perfect masterpieces after giving only one listen?
What you're saying does not support your belief that the deletion of your ratings was unjustified, instead it's pretty clear evidence of your hasty judgement.


A 10/10 is that very special album you'd take with you to the proverbial desert island. It's not about taking a different album with you to every lonesome island in the world.