Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Hibria - Defying The Rules - 2004 - Remedy Records

Track Listing1. Steel Lord On Wheels 2. Change Your Life Line 3. Millennium Quest 4. A Kingdom To Share 5. Living Under Ice 6. Defying The Rules 7. The Faceless In Charge 8. High Speed Breakout 9. Stare At Yourself

Oh, sweet Mother of God, how the Heavens have blessed us of late. Following absolute smashing new hits from the likes of Impellitteri, Astral Doors, Steel Prophet, Overlorde, and Edguy comes another fabulous new release. Brazil's Hibria have completely annihilated everything with their debut record "Breaking The Rules", and breaking the rules is exactly what they have done. Normally a band's "starter" record is a decent achievement, normally laying the basic ground work upon which a band can craft their skills and build upon and around their original ideas and goals. No, it definitely doesn't work that way with Hibria. From the word go these metal hellraisers just blister the competition, putting away doubts that this is just merely a beginning. No, this band sounds as if they have been around for years, possibly even decades. I can't tell you how much talent and energy is on display here. No, that is something you will need to hear for yourself. The only thing I can really do is just attempt to describe the sounds within, the amazing speed and finesse at which this unit operates. Indeed "Defying The Rules" is the best debut I have ever heard from a band in my listening career. This is THE band to watch for years and years to come.

With Hibria you get speed, power, energy, and a musical ability to captivate listeners through soaring leads, screaming vocals, and comic book styled storytelling. Yes, you get it all with this package. The brains, the brawn, the beauty, man this one just smokes from beginning to end. As I've mentioned before this is just the beginning, this is the start to something that will snowball with time. With this debut Hibria have mastered the art of metal, passing by bands that have taken years and years to come this far. These Brazilians with one album are probably where most bands are at in their seventh year and fourth record. They are that good, they are that powerful, and by all means do yourself a favor and listen to what I'm telling you. This band is the one to watch for. These guys have everything they need to take control of our current power metal scene. This is balls to the wall screaming power metal that few bands could even attempt much less master.

Produced and mixed by metal mastermind Piet Sielck at Powerhouse Studios, "Breaking The Rules" comes complete with stunning artwork and a thunderous cannon of top-notch production. This one really has it all. Looking beyond the packaging and tooling comes a young band certainly capable of ruling the airwaves very, very soon. Vocalist Luri Sanson is in my top five right now. Yes, top five. This guy has an amazing voice. Think of greats like Rob Rock, Mike Vescera, and Rob Halford all mixed together. Then add youth into the equation and you will get half of what this guy is really capable of. For most of this album he uses his high register, not really hitting falsetto but keeping it in a higher tone throughout the record. With the lethal combination of Diego Kasper and Abel Camargo on guitars, the likes of Tipton and Downing come to mind, only with a more aggressive playing style. At times the leads remind me of Paul Gilbert or George Lynch. These guys play with a rare intensity to just take charge and take over. Every track shows off their amazing ability and talent, from straight forward riff racers to the smoking leads, you will never hear any other bands out there playing with this type of energy and fire. Along with that thunder and might comes bassist Marco Panichi, who is so damn good that he even gets a few bass solos on this record. His style is somewhat like Metaliums's Lars Ratz, with plenty of rigid bass lines backing the rapid fire assault of the guitarists. Savio Sordi shows off very fast hands and feet behind the drum kit, recalling the finest moments of Scott Travis.

The concept behind this album is somewhat like Mad Max crossed with The Running Man. The story is compelling and told a bit like Operation Mind Crime. Individual characters are all brought to life through the creative drive of the band. With storming tracks like "Steel Lord On Wheels" and "High Speed Breakout", Hibria show that they are built upon the 80s platform. Bands like Riot, Obsession, and Racer X are clearly brought to mind, but at the same time a bit of the 90s aggression leaks through. With Sielck's brain behind the sound setup, this whole album comes together in perfect form. This is the perfect headbanging affair, putting to shame bands that just can't seem to play this fast or melodic. "Breaking The Rules" never slows for a minute, instead keeping things fast and heavy through and through. But the speed is punctuated by heavy grooves and Sanson's addictive voice.

If you are into 80s metal, then this is absolutely mandatory. Hibria take the German power metal elements and breathe new life into them. From the Teutonic purpose to the speed metal offerings of Helloween, Hibria take it all into effect and deliver their own brand of heavy metal mayhem. This is high class, top tier metal for the finest of headbangers. If you enjoy the likes of Riot, Loudness, Racer X, Obession, and Marshall Law, then please, look no further. If you have dabbled in the likes of Hammerfall, Primal Fear, and Dream Evil, PLEASE, for the love of all things Holy, please go out and buy this. It completely crushes what you have heard before. This is THE metal goods! Highly recommended!


--EC 03.23.05