These New Puritans give the impression of wanting to beat the hell out of you. Of course, they may be great guys, but their music doesn’t pervade that notion. Hidden is punishing, bruising, and ruthless. And at first blush, it seems tough to get into such an abrasive brand of music, and admittedly, the openings tracks don’t make it easy, but the album does reveal itself to work well in its context.
“Time Xone” is an ominous brass intro that conceals more about Hidden than it does expose it. It’s “We Want War” that details what These New Puritans are all about. And this is all before the Voice of Lucifer starts laughing. That may sound like a Lamb of God description but this isn’t metal or any contrite projections of fear or evil. The brass from “Time Xone” reappears throughout the rest of the album, usually used to build tension in the way that a movie score might. TNP are definitely looking to build tension at every corner, using ass-beating percussion, chugging guitars, and of course, a tightly wound brass section. Already this may not sound like your type of music (it’s not usually mine), but credit has to be given to a band that’s clearly executing their intent. “We Want War” occupies a strange place in the overall scheme of the album. There are a handful of songs on the album that are easier (more accessible) to throw on Shuffle or any means of quick listening. And TNP includes those songs without losing their identity or getting poppy just to have a lead single. “We Want War” is certainly a contentious track that may turn off many listeners, but if the scope of listening is broadened beyond pop appeal, it is perhaps the most impactful song of them all. You may grit your teeth when the song comes on, or you may choose to just start out with “Three Thousand,” the third track, but it is completely necessary to inhale all of Hidden.
To reiterate, the entirety of Hidden is built on tension with deliberate, powerful drumming. The secondary players behind the two leads are the industrial guitar/synthetic riffs, brass sections, slivers of electronics, and matter-of-fact vocal delivery. That is, with the exception of “Hologram,” which is mysteriously uplifting with all sounds pointing up. Maybe that is an intentional wrench in the system or maybe they just felt like stepping away from the bleak, but it’s interesting nevertheless. “Attack Music” gets back to the jaw busting with a rolling ball of steel aesthetic, including a sample of two (sharp) knives swiping against each other. “Fire-Power” slips a little (right in the middle of the album, no less), sounding a bit too much like M.I.A.’s vocal melody from “Boyz.” That’s probably not a comparison that These New Puritans are looking for, and it isn't a comparison I enjoy doling out (“Boyz” is a good song, by the way, just not in this context). Aside from that, the song becomes clogged with buoyant drumming and it isn’t until the latter half that the brass section arrives for reinforcement. By that point, however, the track is already a miss. “Orion” redirects the album back to standard protocol and re-packs the Puritan punch. “Drum Courts – Where Corals Lie” isn’t any notable deviation from the band’s normal methods, but it should be mentioned because, with all of its elements coming together perfectly, it is the best song on the album. It captures the essence of the album, all of its best qualities, intensifies them, and churns out a gem.
Overall, Hidden is an exceptionally strong album with only one misstep. The highest compliment I can pay to Hidden is that after a third of the way through my first listen, I was ready to discount this album and its genre in general. Of course, by the time I submitted the review, I’m throwing words around like “exceptionally strong.” It may take some time to grow on you (it does lack immediacy), but for the price of patience the payoff is great.
Track List:
1. Time Xone
2. We Want War
3. Three Thousand
4. Hologram
5. Attack Music
6. Fire-Power
7. Orion
8. Canticle
9. Drum Courts-Where Corals Lie
10. White Chords
11. 5
