A four-piece outfit content to embrace a diverse sonic outlook as far as atmosphere and influences, Italy’s Hellfox started in 2019, releasing their first single “Dead Star” in the fall of 2020, setting the stage for a debut album The Call in 2022. Now we have before us the sophomore outing The Spectrum of Human Gravity – a nine-track effort that contains elements of gothic/alternative metal next to melodic death aspects that are quite elegant as they are ethereal in texture. Touching upon human emotions and themes of suicide, loneliness, not feeling heard or understood in an allegorical way, the lyrics will connect as equally as the music can for most listeners.
“Six Times Lighter” contains a wide array of riffs, moving through gothic vestiges next to some classic rock influences (midway through a musical instrumental sequence mirrors the unmistakable “Immigrant Song” / Led Zeppelin gallop). Dual clean / growl vocal employment allows the band to cover all melodic to extreme bases – everything from classic hard rock to alternative/gothic melodies spring to mind on highlights like The Gathering-esque meets Amorphis-like “The Centipede” or the Celtic/Viking atmosphere that circles in the acoustic “Nautilus” to heavier, mysterious terrain for “Seaweed Braids”. Forward thinking thicker bass lines from Priscilla Poe set up subsequent melodic death/gothic textures in the addictive “Empty” – keyboard nuances setting up more tension for the volleys between strong, melodic singing, whispering, and savage growls/screams all across the arrangement. The emphasis on strong musical hooks cannot be ignored – Gloria Kaps always knowing which main guitar riffs to branch out into stellar parts that cause listeners to remain enveloped in each song. Check into the Paradise Lost-like “The Warrior, the Child, the Healer” for some masterful licks and smart transitions, along with plenty of solid groove foundational kit work from drummer Fedy Piscopo.
If there’s one aspect that may dilute appeal, it’s a rare case where at only 35 minutes this scribe was hoping for another song or two to make the album that much stronger – as the quality front to back for The Spectrum of Human Gravity is remarkable. Nevertheless, ardent readers of the site who enjoy the multiple cross-platform metal styles that makes sense will definitely find Hellfox very appealing.