Shai Hulud – Reach Beyond the Sun

Band: Shai Hulud
Album: Reach Beyond the Sun
Record Label: Metal Blade Records
Release Date: 19th February 2013
Reviewed By: Mark

Well here I am reviewing Shai Hulud’s fifth full length release, Shai Hulud have influenced many bands in their many years (formed in 1995), however I must admit I was always confused when people labelled them hardcore. Shai Hulud will be known as having New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert sing vocals on debut album ‘Hearts Once Nourished with Hope and Compassion’ and the man is back again for this album. Shai Hulud have gone through many line up changes and the only original member to feature on all releases is guitarist Matt Fox, but as with previous releases this album also includes special guest appearances.

So what do Shai Hulud play for the new fans who have never heard of them? Well they basically play melodic metalcore/progressive hardcore, depending on how you want to class them. This album was a long time in coming and people were scared it wouldn’t live up to the hype and flat line and ruin the career of a great band. However I can confirm that this album doesn’t suffer and is probably their best album, if you never heard anything by Shai Hulud before then check out “Reach Beyond the Sun” as a starting point and you wont be disappointed.

Shai Hulud have brought back the amazingly beautiful guitar leads and pin point technicality precision that defined the band with the crushing heavy riffs and rhythm section that accompanies them. What Shai Hulud manage to do what a lot of other bands cant do is change the tempo and key of a song flawlessly and not loose any flow to the songs. Also hats off to Chad Gilbert who’s lyrics and vocals are amazing and he sounds pissed off and still as vitriolic as he did in his youth. The first three songs will decide if you love this album or hate it as “The Mean Spirits, Breathing”, “I, Saturnine” and the title track “Reach Beyond the Sun” are probably the best Shai Hulud have released in their career. While “Medicine of the Dead” features appearances from all of Shai Hulud’s previous vocalists and “I, Saturine” has a gang chant and comes off more hardcore/punk.

“Reach Beyond the Sun” is 34 minutes of pure metalcore/hardcore and I would easily recommend it to fans of the genre and if your new to the genre or Shai Hulud then check out this album as it is great. Don’t listen to the contenders, listen to the real thing…!!! I can easily see this album being in polls for the 2013 record of the year and we are only in February.

SCORE 9/10

Readers album score: {extravote 1}