With a rich history behind them, Finland’s Hanging Garden is perhaps one of the most compelling Progressive Doom Metal bands out there. Making an impression in 2007 with the release of their debut album, Inherit The Eden, they set a high standard with haunting, Melodic Death Metal with doomish, emotional vocals.
Moving forward, they have consistently created one high-quality release after another, releasing seven more full-length albums and seven EPs. There is a lot of material to shuffle through, so if you are new to Hanging Garden, be sure to apply care to your exploration of the band’s past. However, if Hanging Garden is a regular in your rotation, revisiting any of these past works is also recommended to further understand how the band has shaped its sound over the last two decades.
With this in mind, 2023’s The Garden was an exceptional album with a melancholy mood that did not drain your spirit or energy but instead enticed you to listen on. Then, in 2024, they offered an interesting live EP called Citylight Sessions, which featured five reworked tracks from The Garden. Now, they return in 2025 with a new collection they call The Unending. A set of four new songs, it is an EP that is a gateway into their forthcoming album, which is currently in preproduction. Set for release on March 14, 2025, through Agonia Records, the four songs that make up The Unending, much like The Garden, are as invigorating as they are cascaded in darkness.
Still led by vocals of husband-and-wife duo Riikka and Toni Hatakka, joining them are original Guitarist Mikko Kolari, Guitarist Jussi Hämäläinen, Keyboardist Nino Hynninen, Drummer Antti Ruokola, and Bassist Jussi Kirves. Together, they immerse you in a clarified yet organic-sounding brand of dark music where the keyboards compliment the guitars, and the mix of angelic female singing by Riikka matched with full-bodied growls and additional clean male singing of Toni is flawlessly executed.
Featuring the single “The First Sunrise,” it is a song that creates an atmosphere built around some ear-catching harmonies and addictive melodies. Pouring over with a sense of longing, the same could be said about “To Seize the Night,” which really draws in with the various movements that unfold, while there are dazzling synths behind the spiritual sensation of “The Passage.” This is while “Morgan’s Trail” is just as bit as colorful, sorrowful, and accented by some fantastic guitar tones.
Overall, The Unending is a tightly produced EP that leaves you excited for what Hanging Garden will come up with in the next full-length. In truth, this band is really one of the best sounding in their respective genre, with intelligent and deeply thoughtful songs that stand out in a big way. That is why Cryptic Rock gives The Unending 5 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment