Shai Hulud-Reach Beyond the Sun

Shai Hulud are one the giants of hardcore, their music is powerful, aggressive and intelligent, something that many a metalhead can love. With a discography as influential as theirs I had to ask myself, can the new Shai Hulud record meet their old standards? I am very glad to say that they can, even going so far as to surpass their previous work with a new classic that goes back to the original ethos of melodic hardcore and resists the influence of mid 2000s metalcore bands. Reach Beyond the Sun is a moving hardcore record that showcases the go for the throat mentality that has made Shai Hulud so popular.

The songs here are ferocious and filled with the raw anger and disillusionment that made Shai Hulud's classic material so good. The hardcore side dominates yet there are still quite a few tasty melodic riffs to be had. I particularly like the guitar line on the eponymous track Reach Beyond the Sun (Which probably should be the album opener) It shows off what makes the band so good, with a melodic guitar attack that is hidden under a cascade of hardcore punk aggression. Overall the songwriting is very tight and it maintains the crashing and uncoordinated feel that is so crucial to having a true hardcore record.

In sum, Shai Huluds latest release is a testament to what modern hardcore can be. At once melodic and face ripping this is a unique effort that manages to spurn all of the bands that claim to have been influence by them. Instead Shai Hulud quite literally manages to 'reach beyond' and create something that is purely theirs. Asides from a few issues with track listing Reach Beyond the Sun is one of the greatest metallic hardcore records to come out in a long time and certainly one of my favorite records of 2013 so far.

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