From the first pounding riffs of ‘Tunnel Vision Alibi’ to the ethereal fade-out at the end of ‘Under The Floor’, Divine Inner Tension is a perfect encapsulation of Hail The Sun’s explorative, heavy and impressively technical yet uniquely memorable sound. Gaining some considerable praise for their previous five albums and touring alongside genre heavyweights Dance Gavin Dance and Circa Survive, Hail the Sun are far from new to the scene but have, up to this point, remained underground, Divine Inner Tension is proof that Hail The Sun deserve their time in the spotlight.
Intro track ‘Tunnel Vision Alibi’ sets the album off with a bang featuring some of Hail The Sun’s heaviest riffs and catchiest hooks to date. The fast-paced, galloping guitar riff gives way to a sing-along chorus providing an appropriately diverse and memorable beginning to an album that winds between complex post-hardcore noise and pop influenced melody. Singer/drummer Donovan Melero deserves significant praise for his work on this track, with both intricate percussion and effortlessly powerful vocals carrying the song Melero proves himself as a confident and capable frontman.
Divine Inner Tension succeeds in part thanks to the tight, clear production of Kris Crummett, known for his work with bands like Dance Gavin Dance, Issues and Crown The Empire. Even when the band are at their most dynamic on songs like ‘Mind Rider’, with huge The Mars Volta style prog influence, or ‘The Story Writes Itself’, a more emo inspired track with a My Chemical Romance inspired chorus, each instrument has its precise place in the mix, staying articulate and punchy through the album’s heaviest moments while emphasising the more delicate passages with tasteful restraint.
“With both intricate percussion and effortlessly powerful vocals carrying the song Melero proves himself as a confident and capable frontman.”
Single ‘Chunker’ is a standout not only on Divine Inner Tension but amongst Hail The Sun’s entire discography, seamlessly incorporating some of the band’s most aggressive and melodic sounds into a stomping, experimental post-hardcore anthem. Flying straight in with shredding riffs from dual guitarists Aric Garcia and Shane Gann, ‘Chunker’ wastes no time in building energy towards its climactic choruses. Bassist John Stirrat acts as the backbone to the track with complex yet tasteful lines that not only keep up with the guitars but often outshine them. Lyrically ‘Chunker’ is a bright spot too, Melero eloquently interrogates his desire for retribution against the people who’ve wronged him, acknowledging that this behaviour, while cathartic, is ultimately self-destructive, it’s a powerful and personal story that fuels the track with introspective rage. The echoes of post-hardcore’s titans are still clear here, the guitars have a hint of The Fall of Troy and the drums and manic pre-choruses are reminiscent of At The Drive In, yet Hail The Sun manage to make Chunker a totally unique track that stands up to even the best work by the genre’s heroes.
In the build up to Divine Inner Tension’s climactic finale Hail The Sun take advantage of the album’s extended runtime to experiment and keep their signature sound fresh. The song ‘Tithe’, perhaps the album’s heaviest, brings in a djent inspired riff and breakdown bringing to mind the brutal, complex extravagance of Periphery, swapping out Melero’s usual soaring lead vocals for intense, fast paced screams. The following track ‘Feeble Words’ is a total left turn, sounding more like an emo ballard with twinkling clean guitars and angsty, powerful vocals, Cummett’s production sounds just as good on a more mellow piece like this as it does on the heavier songs with perfect clarity between the two guitarists and exactly the right amount of reverb on the vocals. These changes in pace both showcase Hail The Sun’s songwriting ability across multiple different genres and keep the album engaging.
“Hail The Sun manage to make Chunker a totally unique track that stands up to even the best work by the genre’s heroes.”
Divine Inner Tension saves the best for last and ends on a grandiose, cathartic climax on final track Under The Floor. With a clear influence from prog emo legends Coheed and Cambria, the closing song is a dark, layered and diverse experience with some of Melero’s most intricate drumming on the album, leaping between ferocious blast beats, complex polyrhythms and stomping beats which are all the more impressive alongside his commanding vocal performance. Hail The Sun could very easily have let the album fade out, ending on one of the more mellow tracks, ‘Under The Floor’ acts as a final reminder of what the band are truly capable of, capping an almost flawless album with a final perfect single.
On their sixth studio album, Divine Inner Tension, Hail The Sun have crafted their sound with surgical precision, this album is heavier, more accessible, more intricate and more diverse than any of their previous work. Divine Inner Tension is the pinnacle of Hail The Sun’s career so far and a bright spot in the post-hardcore genre as a whole.