Slik Helvetica-Hafnium

Screamin' Mimi
2009

Pennsylvania trio Slik Helvetica return with their third release. I remember thinking their self-titled debut was a decent but slightly unoriginal classic style metal. Their 2007 EP "KK 5" impressed me much more with a heavier go for the throat approach that even included some early thrash sounds tossed in. So my expectations was that their new release "Hafnium" would pick up where the EP left off. Unfortunately like their previous release this is something of a mixed bag in both influences and results. There are some tracks that fall in around the level of early 80's Accept and Judas Priest, but then others have more of the glam sound close to the likes of Motley Crue. Those are the better tracks and most of those comprise the first half of the album. The rest of the album varies between songs with definite 90's influences and some others that just kind of sit there. There are several songs on here that are some of the best that this band has done. However there are just as mnay that don't really seem fit or serve much purpose other than taking up space. The other two albums although slightly different from each other had much more of a choesive feel than Hafnium does. This album feels more like a collection of loose odds and ends taken from different times and projects rather than being all from the same artist. That might be alright I liked all the songs which I don't. After "KK5" I really felt this band was making progress, but despite several good songs they now sound kind of lost. Maybe next time.