Hellions: Rue
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Hellions: Rue

To an extent, I was shit scared to listen too ‘Rue.’ After being a fan of Hellions since they formed from members of The Bride, and following their whole career thus far, I didn’t really know how they would go following up ‘Opera Oblivia.’ Their 2016 release which subjectively, I see as their magnum opus. With songs such as ‘Smile’ being released early as single, I was quite ready for my favourite Aus hardcore band to be playing melodic pop numbers that rely on auto-tune and truthfully for the most part, I was wrong.
Yes, there are a lot of ‘Thresher’ -esque unison vocals throughout the album, but if anything the album in it’s incredibly succinct and choreographed entirety, is a merge between rap and rock. But, not in the standard nü metal style by any stretch, instead it has funky, uncompromising tunes that don’t try too be hard or heavy, leaving the heaviness in itself to Dre Faivres unique vocals.


‘Furrow’ shows a much more bleak and slow side of Hellions, with epic guitars at times reminiscent of ‘The Black Parade,’ while ‘Rue,’ the albums title track is ruled by group sing-alongs that’ll be destined to go down at treat at Unify 2019.
‘The Lotus’ proved to be the hardest and most technical song on the album in my eyes, and was also incredibly interesting as it brings back reference to a previous Hellions’ song, ‘The Lotus Eater.’ At one point featuring female vocals to recite the line, “Raise your glass to the lotus eater, as he drifts into the ether,” and let me tell you, it’s just as bloody powerful the second time around.
As to be expected the album rounds up with the ‘26,’ a rousing anthem about the quest for happiness.
In terms of the musicality, what they are going for and how well they have achieved it, Rue is an incredible album. The one thing I will say for many long time fans, like myself, that may struggle with the lighter/happier side of Hellions, is to look deeper than the face value of the song and you’ll find that more often than not, the songs aren’t happy at all and in fact tackle quite deeper issues. Rue is definitely not an album that can be judged off face value.
4.5/5
UNFD
Reviewed by Alex Callan