HILLTOPS ARE FOR DREAMERS - In Disbelief

HILLTOPS ARE FOR DREAMERS

Album: In Disbelief

Genre: Modern Prog Metal

Release Date: March 25th, 2022

Country: Greece / UK

Label: Rockshots Records

Band-Links: SHOP / INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK

Emotional, aggressive, experimental, progressive, relentless… five words with which HILLTOPS ARE FOR DREAMERS describe their debut album “In Disbelief”, that is out since March 25th, 2022 via Rockshots Records. The Greek / UK based project consists of mastermind Vasilis Papageorgakopoulos, who is responsible for most of the song-writing and instruments (guitars / bass / keys / programming), as well as singer Michael Enger, and Dionysus Maratos for programming.

The dark cover artwork makes obvious that this is not a kind of romantic piece as the band's name could probably suggest. “In Disbelief” is an expressive journey with three parts: from the harbour of being in a gloomy state of mind, they take us through the process of realization to a possible healing point. Even though this is the loose concept connecting the songs and being responsible for their order, they're not told from one person's perspective.

The first part, "Shadows", consists of "Silence", "Severe Serenity" and "Healing After The Fall", but doesn't start silent at all. After a few electronic, wafting sounds, the music hits aggressively with a dissonant death metal riff, pushing rhythmic, and screamed vocals. Two minutes in, they switch to a lovely, groovy guitar part, just to end the song as powerful as it started. Track No2 is slow yet heavy, comes along with a dark mood, but closes with a dreamy vibe, that leads to "Healing After the Fall". Again, they alternate between aggressive and peaceful playing, offering even some jazzy hints, with the vocals wandering between screamed and sung.

Part 2, "Overturn", begins with "The Tide", which is mainly straight forward and high-energetic. But again, they give some moments to rest with short instrumental interludes. During "Turn Into Oblivion", the mood moves into positive fields, as the music becomes more melodic and accessible.

"Awakening" is the last triple of songs: "The Sirens Woe" has a groovy modern metal vibe, and with "Revival", things calm down and turn even more melodic. "Unsoiled Soul" closes the album thought- and peaceful.

"In Disbelief" is not an easy listening, but feelings aren't always easy as well, are they? So it's interesting how HILLTOPS ARE FOR DREAMERS express them with all those different stylistic elements, alternating between death, melodic, and modern prog metal, also offering light accoustic or even jazzy parts. The contrast between harsh and clean vocals supports this in a great way as well. If you don't mind music being a bit experimental and genre-bending, give them a spin.

Written by Katha