by John Kindred
– Publisher —
Chicago’s Hessler is back with a revamped lineup and a new studio release. Following the departure of vocalist Lariyah Daniels, who left the group and then joined the occult metal band Khaotika, Hessler recruited the 2012 X-Factor contestant Jessikill. The quintet recently released its follow-up EP, titled Ghost Dance, to 2012’s Comes With the Territory.
Recorded at Electrowerks and Groovemaster Studios in Chicago, the six-song EP is fueled by the dual axe attack of Igz Kincaid and Frankie Sripada, the rumbling thunder of bassist Erik Michael and precision time keeping of drummer Derek Spiteri. With Jessikill taking over the vocal duties, she finds herself having to fill a big hole left by Daniels. And on her first release with the band, she demonstrates that her pipes are perfect match for the band’s metallic assault.
Ghost Dance was produced by Christopher Lee (pretty sure this isn’t the famous actor) and Igz Kincaid. Lee also engineered and mastered the EP, and listeners will be struck by the crystal-clear audio. The sound of the instruments and vocals are of the highest quality. Of course all that wouldn’t matter if the music wasn’t great as well.
The first song on Ghost Dance is energetic title track and opens with the rumble of the bass and percussion, and it builds up to a dual-harmony-guitar-riff and crunchy rhythm guitars before introducing the vocals of Jessikill. Jessikill’s voice complements the music quite well. The musical song structures are put together rather slickly, with plenty of dynamic interplay to keep each tune listenable and enjoyable.
It’s apparent that Hessler put in a lot of time to deliver a great product. No filler tracks can be found on Ghost Dance, and, honestly, it is probably a smart move to drop a six-song EP rather than a full-length disc. It gives the band more time to grow, develop and mature. Don’t get the wrong idea ‘cause these tunes are on par with the band’s peers and are way better than what is being slung at everyone’s ears these days.
EP highlights include “Darker Secrets,” “Stuck on You,” the title track … well, listeners will love the whole disc. Get your hands on this one and then enjoy. Sorry to see Lariyah Daniels move on, but, thankfully, Hessler landed on its feet and continues to make great music.
Genre: Heavy Metal
Band:
Igz Kincaid – Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Frankie Sripada – Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Erik Michael – Bass Guitar
Derek Spiteri – Drums
Jessikill – Lead Vocals
Track List:
1. Ghost Dance
2. Darker Secrets
3. Last Alive
4. Stuck On You
5. The Cure
6. Never Lost My Way
Label: Independent
Website: www.hesslerchicago.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10
