Review: Toundra ‘Hex’
Toundra are back with their 8th Studio album titled Hex and it could quite possibly be their best. The instrumental progressive post-rock masters have always had a knack of creating emotionally charged symphonic and harmonious music, however, they have outdone themselves with this impressive piece of music.
Taking the time to sift through their back catalogue, the evolution is immediately apparent as the four talented musicians from Madrid find new ways to explore and push the genre with their lyric-less stories. Supporting the melodies is perfect production on Hex as the tones and mix seamlessly transition from the heavier sections into beautifully crafted softer moments. Special mention to Alex Perez’s work on the skins as he masterfully controls the energy curve across the album.
The album is split up into two sides with the first a twenty-two minute, three-part movement entitled El Odio (Hatred) and Side B, four separate tracks that are distinct from Side A, while still carrying that Toundra sound.
El Odio Parte I, II and III has it all. From a quiet opening start that always makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up in excitement and expectation of what is about to come, through to galloping heavy sections. To see this passage of music live would just freeze the audience as they watch in awe of the musicianship on display, particularly the timing changes. The riffs used in the heavier sections have that underlying feeling of frustration and anger as if they are yelling ‘faaarrrkkk are you kidding me?’ These emotions are then resolved, or perhaps at best resigned, in Parte III as the angst is let to slip away.
Undoubtedly Hex will remain as one of the high-water marks of Toundra’s career…
After twenty-two minutes of epic progression, Ruinas starts Side B and has that signature Toundra sound found on previous albums. Dual clean, reverb, and delayed guitars swirl around each other that build to a constantly changing long outro underpinned by Alberto Tocado’s driving distorted bass tone. La Larga Marcha has an electronic feel to its beginnings which then moves into similar spaces as Ruinas, with a slightly more sombre feeling to it.
Watt was the first song the band wrote together for the album. It has a sense of purpose as if the band knew there was a new album’s worth of material ready to be fleshed out, it just needed this song to come out first. It sounds like lots of fun to play on any of the instruments, especially after a couple of drinks to loosen the mood.
The appropriately named FIN closes the album with its atmospheric clean soundscapes. Even if you didn’t know the name of the song you would know it’s the last track as it rings out and lets the listener just breathe.
Undoubtedly Hex will remain as one of the high-water marks of Toundra’s career and one of the best albums in the genre.
Label: InsideOut Music
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram
Scribed by: Maxx
