This is a small 2 track teaser from the upcoming full length album “Sound Over Matter” which will be released in the fall by Spinefarm Records. Hevein hails from Finland, and you should have heard about the band, due to a prior review of their promo EP “Break Out The Hammers” and an interview with the band, on these very pages.

To make it short, the musical style this 6-piece band delivers, is thrash fuelled epic metal, with the use of angry and heavy riffs, punishing drumming, killer vocals ranging from the usual angry thrash scream/yell, to a good and fitting clean vocal containing a lot of emotion. To top it up, there is a violin and a cello, which delivers beautiful string work and adds very much to the epic and at times beautiful sound picture.

The first track is the title track ‘iOta’. The track is at the same time, very powerful and hard hitting and beautiful and epic. The composition is good and catchy, and the work of the vocal is what keeps my interest caught at first. The vocal work is very good and varies between a nu-metal influenced angst-ridden scream and some more clean vocals. The funny part about this, is that the vocals and the vocal patterns at times reminds me of the Ill Niño track used in one of the Matrix movies. The Violin and cello works really well for the band here, and their show off part in the end of the track is very good and the strings more or less saves the track.

The second and last track is a re-recording of ‘Worth Fighting For’, a track which original version appeared on “Break Out The Hammers”. One of my favourite tracks of the promo. This new version is good as well, as far as I can hear there hasn’t been any re-arranging. The only thing added, is tighter playing and the powerful production. A strong track with a good chorus, powerful guitar riffs and again splendid use of the strings. The catchy vocals are great too, and one of the things I really enjoy in this track and in the whole universe of Hevein.

The music is recorded in Sonic Pump and mixed in Finnwox, 2 of the more used studios in Finland. That is quite understandable judging from the powerful and hard hitting productions that leaves the studies. There are a lot of strength behind the musical output and the instruments and vocals are well placed in the mix. A good production made for playing loud and still taking care of the details and the delicate sounds from the violin and cello.

A great teaser for the upcoming album, there is showing Hevein going in a more nu-metallic/modern direction, must be the conclusion of this review. Though spending money on 2 tracks, there will be featured on the upcoming album, without getting any bonus material, might seem as a bit of waste of money. I’m not the right one to judge that, that is you, you are the one who have to spend the money. Though I can say the money is well spend, if the above has triggered your curiosity.

[This review was first published on the now defunct scandinavianmetal.info webzine]