ALBUM REVIEW: Hey – Isaak
Having laid dormant in the depths of Genoa for seven years, cornerstones of Italy’s stoner scene ISAAK return with an intense and hard hitting album. Vigorously rejuvenated, ISAAK waste no time in delivering a cacophony of monstrous, supersonic riffs packed with entrancing, earth-shattering grooves and booming vocals. After seven long years the Genoese stoner masters ramp up the ante and give us all what we have been so eagerly anticipating. With lyrical themes focusing on looking within yourself, the thunderous chaos of the album provides an immeasurable catharsis as well as being a triumphant return for one of Italy’s premier stoner bands. Before embarking on the momentous sonic thrill ride that is Hey, you better strap yourself in.
Hey hits your ears with absolutely no mercy, cutting to the chase and getting straight to the sonic battering. Yet for all its marvellous, raw musical power and relentless pace, the album’s message is far greater than the album itself. It talks about our most intimate fears and tries to do so with a sense of irony, ultimately however it is a self-declared manifesto on being fragile and making that fragility a strength. Over the last few years, so many of us have had to explore parts of ourselves that we may not have liked, breaking down the barriers of cynicism and adapting to something completely unprecedented. This is something that ISAAK capture perfectly, with a clever sense of irony that helps drive the point home as much as the explosive riffs do.
Alongside this is the notion of not looking back but looking inside, and as a result this powerful looking inwards drives this album. The album has a tangibly transcendent and exuberant sense of self-belief and self-confidence, one that only comes from going to the dark depths to rise up again like a phoenix in a blaze of glory. You feel it resonating with every positive vibe in your body, making it incredibly easy to feel powerful and psyched up while listening to Hey. ISAAK now identify themselves as a “Riffalicious Fast Forward Stoner Rock Band”, and just like Ronseal, it does what it says on the tin. This album is certainly a step up from their 2016 sophomore album Sermonize – it beats it pretty comprehensively in every area; pace, power, energy, riffs, you name it it’s got it.
Hey is also an album packed full of restless grooves and marvellous, soaring vocal melodies. Over the 44 minutes that the album runs for, ISAAK don’t let you sit still for a single second, as the grooves continually ramp up and evolve, the album’s explosive energy continues envelope you. As a result the album is infectiously fun and spirit-rousing, and this energy transfers into your brain and you can’t help but feel psyched up and unstoppable. It would be remiss to not mention the Italian passion that ISAAK imbue their songs with; there is a fiery heart at the core of this album. The band put absolutely everything into the songs. With that in mind and accompanied by the album’s lyrical themes it is no wonder that there is a real, palpable desire to sod the world and let loose.
The album opens up quite strangely, with the advertisement for the Miracle Blade played over thunderous instrumental riffing. Miracle B cuts straight to ISAAK’s point with the irony of the album. Title track Hey kicks the album into gear with an explosive flourish. The joint melodic power and might of Giacomo Boeddu’s thunderous vocals and Francesco Raimondi’s guitar wizardry really come to the fore, whilst being supported by the tight and cohesive rhythm section of Gabriele Carta (bass) and Davide Foccis (drums). OBG continues to set the tone, keeping the energy high; if you hadn’t started already you’ll be bobbing your head and tapping your foot to the song’s infectious grooves.
Except feels a little bit darker and slower than the previous two tracks, but what stands out is its catchy bass groove and swirling guitar leads. Rotten brings back the frantic energy, with triumphant riffs and vocals hitting you straight in the chest with their power. Over The Edge and Dormouse follow a similar formula before the anthemic Fake It Till You Make It truly unleashes the power of Boeddu’s vocals in the chorus. Taste 2.0 and Sleepwalker continue the anthemic and triumphant sound; swirling riffs and massive choruses make you want to get up and move. Goodbyes Are Always Very Sad finishes the album in one final short, sharp flourish as ISAAK let go of whatever energy they had left.
After seven years the Italian stoner stalwarts are well and truly back, with a brilliantly explosive record that will undoubtedly stir you in some way, shape or form. It is safe to say that Hey is an emphatic return for ISAAK.
Rating: 9/10
Hey is set for release on March 31st via Heavy Psych Sounds.
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