On The Horizon: Hiraeth #29 /Eng./

Hiraeth‘s latest EP, Despite Bravery, was released at the end of September last year. The Budapest-based band is definitely one of those who don’t make music very often, but always make sure to deliver quality. Their EP from 2023 is a clear proof of that, so I didn’t hesitate when the possibility arose to put into words my opinion about Despite Bravery!

Band: Hiraeth (HU)
EP: Despite Bravery
Genre(s): Post-metal, post-rock
Released: 2023
Label: -

The backstory of “Hiraeth”:

“The band was formed in 2014 by a group of friends from the university. We found our own sound relatively quickly and released our first demo in 2016. After that we played several gigs and made progress with writing songs, but in 2018 our drummer Marci F. Tóth unfortunately decided to leave the band. It was a good thing that during this period (and since then) we were rehearsing in the same room with the band Erkölcsi Mozsdo, because eventually their drummer Bence Kása became our new drummer, and with his arrival we started writing heavier, darker songs.

2018 also gave us one of our big milestones, that year we performed for the first time with the Austrian melodic hardcore band Tripsitter, who are one of our biggest idols and inspirations. Then we played with them once again in 2019, and then we performed at the Fekete Zaj festival during summer, which was unfortunately washed away by the rain, but in return we were able to play at the winter edition of Fekete Zaj, which was a very memorable sold-out show. Also in ’19 we performed with Ukrainian band White Ward and that was the year we first organised the Echo and Abyss post-rock mini-festival, which we are already planning to continue.

In 2022 and 2023, we released the singles Riptide and Last Train from Cairo and the EP titled Despite Bravery. Last year, we started exploring how to incorporate some electronica elements into our music, and we already wrote a new song with Klaudia Szabó, which we performed for the first time at Keserv 1.0 in June at Aurora. At the end of November, we shared the stage with Black Particles and pozvakowski, also organised by Keserv.”

Discography

2016 - Demo (EP)
2022 - Riptide (Single)
2023 - Last Train from Cairo (Single)
2023 - Despite Bravery (EP)

Current line-up

Bence Kása - drums
Kristóf Vencel Zboray - bass, vocals
Norbert Püsök - guitar, vocals
Klaudia Szabó - keyboards, programming
Bence Szrogh - guitar

A song that you should definitely check out: “Sunrise Parabellum”

For me, Sunrise Parabellum is what describes how much Despite Bravery can be. Meditating in the mountains, another challenge in life, crossing your limits, jumping into the unknown and I could go on and on. It’s a diverse and exciting song, a great start to the EP. The closing part of the song is particularly atmospheric, like a spiritual escape from the world. It is undeniable that Hiraeth put the endings very well together. The outros of the other two tracks also offered a special treat.

Why can Despite Bravery be the EP you are looking for?

The post-metal band from the capital has put together an EP that has started a new Hiraeth era, both in terms of length and quality. It’s one of the characteristics of the genre that you often hear longer songs, but on this record it really felt that way. The tracks, on average ten minutes long, created an atmosphere that makes Despite Bravery feel like an almost endless journey. The increase of time on offer also comes with a higher expectation. There is a always a risk in a lengthy song that its different segments are not well crafted, which means that the quality of the execution may waver, it may become monotonous and thus unable to maintain interest effectively, or it may sound too chaotic and not feel like a thought-out piece. These are not issues with Despite Bravery’s tracks. When I first dived into exploring the songs, I didn’t know what the length of time I’d spend listening to them would feel like. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise to me how diverse all three tracks are. A big plus is the fact that various elements make the songs more colourful and enjoyable. The intro of Winter 1152 suggests that something big is about to happen. The EP’s mid-point and most expansive song is truly a unique experience that’s hard to capture and sum up. The mood it creates and the involvement of the various members of the band, the weight of the instruments, are frequently changing. There are sections that are calm, joyful, energetic or dark. For me, there’s no question that it is rewarding to let everyone have their own expression. The guitars, the bass, the drums and the electronics are all equally essential, each with its own place and time, without being overshadowed by any other element. I don’t include the vocals here only because their presence is minimal and their primary purpose is to make the overall effect more powerful in the space of a few seconds. Suffer Well basically proves this with its outro. The chilling screams are a fitting end not only to the song, but to the album. Without a doubt, my personal favourite is this roughly two minutes on the EP! I would also like to note that the last song is the one that strives the most for permanence of the three tracks. A nice breather after a long journey. To summarise, Despite Bravery is a wandering through endless darkness, where we sometimes see the light, our hope, and then, aware of this, we continue our extraordinary trip, discovering a new shade of our life.