Review | Herin – Unhidden [EP]

Laser's Edge Records / Herin

Chris Herin’s epos `Hiding In Plain Sight’ was an immense progressive rock revelation. An emotionally charged, concept inspired by his father’s long struggle with Alzheimer’s, immediately resonating with me. Now, the `Unhidden’ EP emerges on Laser’s Edge and Herin’s platform, collecting the four exclusive bonus tracks from Chris’ 2LP Record Store Day edition of the album. Far from being mere leftovers, the songs, featuring the intense and expressive vocals of Matthew Parmenter (Discipline), deepen the album’s narrative. Every track adds volumes to the 2LP record’s journey, while resonating deeply as stand-alone forces of musical perfection.

A TAPESTRY OF LOSS AND LONGING

Opening with ,,Our Own Time” connects with Chris’ influences from neo prog giants Yes, often subdued in his Rush-tinged musical scope. Herin crafts an intense cinematic soundscape with Parmenter’s vocals haunted atop intricate guitar lines and subtle orchestration. The track’s progressive backbone is enforced by Paul Dzendzel’s dynamic drumming, while Herin’s melodic sensibility ensures accessibility around its complex backbone. It’s a song that balances urgency and reflection, fitting seamlessly into the album’s overarching theme of time slipping away. Asserting the importance of the present, the song’s intricate and wonderful bass lines are a pulse that impacts on the song’s engrained rift of emotion and its sonic discharge.

,,Sad Cypress” slows the pace, weaving melancholic plucking guitars and Mellotron textures into a tapestry of loss and longing. Parmenter’s vocal delivery is fragile, melancholic and theatrical, echoing art-rock influences. It grips deep while the guitar seonates on personal levels. “Underneath the canopy of shaded green, twisted roots and bend knees” Matthew croons agonic while the atmosphere and tensions shifts. The intensity of the track builds with guitars oozing their agony and the song returning to form with Gilmour-ish lustre. Herin’s personal notes resonate, and he transcends his playing. The arrangement is sophisticated but never overwrought; every note intentional, serving the emotional core. This track exemplifies the album’s ability to marry progressive ambition with heartfelt storytelling.

GRIPPING AND GUT WRECKING

The short instrumental interlude ,,Requiem 704” is brief and deeply poignant. Written during Herin’s hospital vigil, it’s named after the room number where he spent his final days with his father. The piece floats on atmospheric keys and timid guitar revolving around the weeping violin, evoking mourning and inner acceptance. It amplifies acceptance, serving as a moment of deep emotional reflection within the EP’s gripping unload of grief. The way Chris marries his guitar with the wailing violin lines is absolutely astounding.

Closing the EP, ,,Safe House (Asylum)” is a reimagined take on a theme from the main album. Herin explores alternate lyrical and varying musical paths, resulting in a version that feels both familiar and intensely urgent. Gripping and ominous vocals, ‘dancing’ violins, and subtle but empowering drums make it well with emotion. The arrangement is layered and Kevin Chown’s subtle bass anchors the groove, while deeply contrasting (female) vocals add overwhelming texture to the strumming DNA of the track. Parameter is on point, more than ever, conveying the gut felt emotions and melancholy. Absolutely gripping and gut wrecking! The polyrhythmic flourishes display Chris Herin’s progressive roots but never loses its emotional anchor. He blends his past and present with the upsetting narrative, while injecting a warm and pleasantly lush surrounding to the unsettling message.

Syme’s artwork adds another layer to the presentation, reverting to the initial album, but making this stand-alone EP also drag the inner rift of the message with his magnifying and intense (yet simple and mundane) artwork. It adds volumes to the narrative and music!

HERIN – THE CONCLUSION

`Unhidden’ is not a musical appendage to `Hiding in Plain Sight’, but an essential extension. Each track amplifies the album’s exploration of memory, loss, and resilience, while the musical textures underscore Herin’s reputation for creative depth and sonic detail. The EP boasts analogue warmth, exponentially pressing the immersive experience for listeners.

Available online via Herin and Laser’s Edge, the EP ensures fans who missed the exclusive vinyl can still access these vital pieces of the story. Emotionally intensely resonant, musically very adventurous, and a fitting companion to Chris Herin’s magnum opus `Hiding in Plain Sight’, each track stands individually but also forms the key to a deeply personal journey. One to never let go of you!

Proceeds from the project continue to support the Alzheimer’s Association, lending a powerful sense of purpose.

Release date: 18 April 2025