Review By Cerrin Hendricks (@panicpreacher)

Tokyo Riff Lords Sable Hills have just dropped ‘Odyssey’, their third full length album. Although not yet a household name, this release has been hotly anticipated amongst their ever growing fanbase. 

With 5 of the tracks having been released as singles over a year before a delayed album drop, how does the album fare as a whole?

‘The Eve’ opens up the album with a short instrumental burst of melody, reminiscent of classic heavy metal intros of previous decades, whilst also paying homage to the golden age of metalcore. At the same time it also calls back to the start of their debut record ‘Embers’.

In a bold move that perfectly captures the pacing of this album, title track ‘Odyssey‘ lives up to its name, taking the listener on an unrelenting journey of riffs and vocal hooks. Despite this, the standout moment is when the rhythm section is brought forward for the outro. This simple moment amongst a barrage of melodies serves as a palate cleanser before the next wave.

‘Misfortune’ continues the journey and keeps the pace going, with tight dual guitar lines and a focus on heaviness as opposed to the more anthemic choruses found on the single tracks of the album. However, this is by no means a filler track and stands out as the most focused heavy track on the record.

This leads straight into ‘Battle Cry’, a track which is definitely going to be a firm favourite for new and old listeners alike. The mix of hard rock, metalcore and classic heavy metal makes for a unique and dynamic track, with elements from each genre being used creatively throughout. Guest vocalist Kenta Koie of Crossfaith gives a ferocious performance, truly elevating the experience. The outro shines on this track once again, featuring a bluesy riff with a swing feel over Kenta and vocalist Takuya Mishima exchanging vocal lines. There is no doubt that this is one of the most unique parts the band has produced thus far.

Diving back into their melodic metalcore sound, ‘A New Chapter’ keeps with the theme of the album with thrash influenced verses and crushing breakdowns building up to a catchy chorus, once again giving a bit of classic hard rock edge. Death metal influences are also clearly displayed here with soaring leads and intense drumming. 

‘Anthem’ loudly proclaims what the album is all about: epic melodies paired with anthemic choruses, old-school swagger and modern production. The rhythm section once again shines in the midpoint of the song leading up to another epic solo, complete with dual harmonised leads. The key change at the end of the song, whilst done other times on the record, sticks out here as it rejuvenates the chorus for one final victory lap.

‘Carry The Torch’ opens up with an electronic sample going straight into a modern metalcore riff fest. Low tuned riffs grab the listeners attention before bringing it right back home to familiar lead guitar based territory with the chorus. Vocal hooks drive the song forward, with even the intro clean vocal being solid enough to have been a chorus in its own right. 

‘No Turning Back’ combines the tight feeling of the record’s first few songs with the downtuned riffs of the previous track, building on both ideas. The outro buildup and breakdown to this track stand out with Trevor Phipps of metalcore royalty Unearth absolutely crushing it on guest vocals. This feature in particular stands out as the record is definitely a tribute to the sound which Unearth pioneered. This track is going to bring down walls live.

This sets the stage for ‘Bad King’, the first single of the album released a year ago, which closes off the penultimate chapter of the album with particular fury in the vocals and a solo straight out of a classic hard rock record. Going from this into a fast paced melodic section and another anthemic chorus, the song decides to strip away all of the lead melodies for a final crushing blow before the only instrumental interlude on the album, ‘Forever’.

This short rest feels well deserved after the breakneck pace of the previous tracks on the album and sets the scene for the ending of the album with a relaxing shamisen melody supported by electronic beats. This final rest pays off as the closing track ‘Tokyo’ begins. Saving the best for last, the main guitar line of this song might be the catchiest thing Sable Hills have ever written. This combined with the choice to go with no clean singing result in a track with an extremely strong identity. One final headbanging breakdown ends the album, leaving the listener wanting more. 

Clocking in at 34 minutes, ‘Odyssey’ never overstays its welcome and begs for a repeat listen upon ending. Choosing to revive and refine the mid 2000s metalcore sound has been a stroke of genius and I am excited to see where Sable Hills take us next.

Rating: 8.5/10 
Odyssey is out now via Arising Empire. Listen to it here.