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Of all the endless barrage of insane Australian metal music this year, few records have been as eagerly anticipated as Thornhill's sophomore effort Heroine. Never shy to raise eyebrows and set their own rules, the Melbourne gang have become a daily source of entertainment in recent months, both with the series of brilliant back-to-back promotional singles, and the cocky swagger exuded across their social channels. Slowly taking over the modern heavy scene in the Upside Down, Thornhill confidently claim their place amongst the absolute best in the game with a mesmerising new album that is as surprising in its production as predictable in its excellence.
Thornhill are easilly one of the most innovative and talented metalcore-ish bands in recent years, and with Heroine fully out, also the sexiest by a long shot, embracing a new aesthetic and overall vibe that stick surprisingly well together with their refreshed sound. A spectacular second full-lenght release, Thornhill's latest effort comes on the back of a solid foundation, laid by the very promising EPs 13 (2016) and Butterfly (2018), and their debut The Dark Pool which was one of the best releases of 2019. Building on the momentum and facing huge expectations on one side, and the chaos and delays of the pandemic, the Melbourne quintet entered a new age with the surprise single 'Casanova', displaying a new side that was sleek and groovy in ways we haven't heard from them in the past, yet remaining true to their roots.
In the course of the promotional cycle, Thornhill developped the said aesthetic in a spectacular fashion, each single revealing a piece of the puzzle that would eventually reveal the stylish beauty that is Heroine. Music, visuals and social presence rarely work so well together and as far as branding go, Thornhill did it all right up to the finest details. Their sound in 2022 is as fresh and different, as it is also the only logical continuation of The Dark Pool. If you really break it down to its core, Heroine starts where tracks like 'Nurture' and 'Lily & The Moon' left it off, only as maturely and purpusfully as you would expect in a second record.
Concerning the overall direction, one could easily make comparisons with the likes of Deftones, a dangerous paralel many bands seem to suffer from nowadays, as soon as they allow themselves a little bit of artistic freedom. Instead of going down the Deftones-core rabbit hole, I chose to celebrate the new generation of that same tradition, bravely taking up the mantle, redefining the genre in their own way, and leaving a mark on a scene that desperately needed some fresh blood. And very few do it better than Thornhill, so leave the comparisons to the AI algorhythms and give them the credit they deserve.
Aside from fighting the traditional modern metal gatekeeping, Thornhill were amongst the bands hit particularly hard by the global pandemic. Fresh of a stellar debut and raiding the wave of their major international tour, only to be cut sharp by mass lockdowns and restrictions must be a pretty big blow for a raising act. Add in subsequent delays, uncertainties, scattered members, and secret recordings, and we can only praise them for the resillience and dedication in fighting through to get Heroine fully out in style.
Heroine is one of those rare cases in modern metal when the universe aligns and an album works just as well together as a whole, as teased by the separate promo singles. Yes, the likes of 'Casanova', 'Arkangel', 'Hollywood' and 'Raw' are standalone bangers in their own right, sort of elegant and refined versions of the classics 'Reptile' and 'Nurture'. However, the album's real strenght is in its entirety, a special vibe that needs to be experienced as designed, without any interruptions, skips and shuffles; dreamy, moody, melancholic, eerie.
The album opens with a trinity of new tracks that perfectly set the tone for the journey that is to unfold if you only let it guide you through. Heroine kicks off with the hopeful 'The Hellfire Club', followed by the uncontainable energy of 'Leather Wings' and gentle elegance of 'Blue Velvet', all three tracks fuelled by beautiful melodies, soaring vocals and driving riffage. Next on the line is the familiar trio of 'Arkangel', 'Casanova' and 'Hollywood', their relentless energy accentuated even further by the mezmerizing intermissions 'Valentine' and 'Something Terrible Came with the Rain', two of the absolute highs in an album that is stacked by hidden moments of brilliance.
Fully letting go of all breaks, Thornhill give their effort the finale it deserves. reaching its chaotic climax with the latest single 'Raw' before gently slowing down in 'Varsity Hearts' and all but evaporating in a hazy mist with its title track's conclusion. And then you have to play the record again and again, captivated by its depth and imagination.
Truly a fantastic release, Heroine has already won the hearts of the local public, claiming #3 in the Official ARIA Albums Charts, and #1 amongst its Australian competitors. Whether this will be the record to earn them global acclaim remains to be seen, but with a solid AOTY contender, Thornhill are undoubtedly on the right track.
Thornhill - Heroine
Country: Australia
Released: 3 June 2022
Label: UNFD
Tracklisting:
1. 'The Hellfire Club'
2. 'Leather Wings'
3. 'Blue Velvet'
4. 'Arkangel'
5. 'Valentine
6. 'Casanova'
7. 'Something Terrible Came with the Rain'
8. 'Hollywood'
9. 'Raw'
10.''Varsity Hearts'
11. 'Heroine'
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