Hidden Masters
“Of This and Other Worlds”
Metal Blade/Rise Above Records
2013
With bands releasing stellar throwback sounds like Witchcraft, Orchid and Blood Ceremony, it’s a wonder why The Sheepdogs and Mumford and Sons get any attention on commercial radio at all! Out of Glasgow, United Kingdom, comes another gem in the “retro crown” and one that will certainly turn heads – Hidden Masters! “Of This and Other Worlds” is Hidden Masters first full length and blasts out of the gate not in heaviness but in incredible song writing and a pension for music emerging from between 1969-1971. Make no mistake, this is NOT a Metal album but a solid Rock record. Hidden Masters blends sounds and feeling akin to The Yardbirds mixed with Cream with a splash of Caravan for good measure.
“She Broke the Clock of the Long Now” opens the album to endow the listener with impressive vocal harmonies and a happy-go-lucky sound that sets Hidden Masters apart from most other “esoteric” bands with the “retro” tag. Extremely memorable are the hooks that one can’t help but hum the song long after it’s played. In fact, most of the songs have this quality. “Into the Night Sky” keeps the momentum going while the Hammond organ drives the rhythm and tambourines dance across the chorus! Even though the music sets a certain mood, the lyrics defy it with “darker” subject matter than what would expect, especially on “See You in the Dark”. Here David Addison sounds morose and expresses a “longing” feeling in his delivery, the perfect counter to the blissful instrumentation.
“Last Days of the Sun” is a clear highlight. Addison’s vocal styling’s are akin to progressive British troupe, Caravan, while the instrumental break uses soft acoustic guitar and haunting chants before returning to a more manic “surf” style guitar riff. Very interesting and leaves the listener wondering where the band are going! “Like Candy” is perhaps the most “emotional” of the record as the three-piece lyrically serenade the listener with an ode to love against the backdrop of playful, jubilant musicality. Listening hard enough, The Doors seem to creep in as well. With so many bands securing themselves a place in the retro pantheon, Hidden Masters bring it all to fruition with “Of This and Other Worlds”. Here’s a perfect example of a band doing their homework and hitting the target era with ease and devotion! “Peace and Love” never sounded so good! Groovy! Standout Tracks: “Last Days of the Sun”, “Like Candy”, “Fall in Line”
9/10
