Hamadryad - "Safe In Conformity" Review

Artist/ Band: Hamadryad
Title: Safe In Conformity
Label: Unicorn Digital
Year of Release: 2005
Artist/ Band Link (click for details/ ordering)

The Review:

This is my first exposure to the Montreal progressive rock band Hamadryad, who was originally conceived as a Rush tribute band. Their debut "The Conservation Of Mass" was released on Unicorn Records in 2001 and remains to this day the now renamed Unicorn Digital's best selling release. Since then, the band’s lead singer Jocelyn Beaulieu decided to pursue a different musical path and bass player Jean-Francois Desilets (who did the lead vocals on "Action!" from the band's debut disc) became their new lead singer.

In the spring of 2005, the band released their second album "Safe In Conformity". I keep noticing comments around the internet that musically the band has improved but the vocals aren’t nearly as powerful as the debut. I have yet to hear the debut in it’s entirety but I found the vocals on “Safe In Conformity” to be rather pleasant and fits the music perfectly. Should he be compared to the previous lead singer? No but in the public eye, this and other band’s that replace their lead singers will get their share of responses especially on the internet saying “maybe they should change their name”. Well I don’t think this should be the case with Hamadryad, basically since this is the second album and they haven’t developed a massive discography. Also they went through many line-up changes before their debut.

“Safe in Conformity” is one Unicorn Digital’s finest releases of 2005 and brings many hours of enjoyment to this listener. I look forward to more from this band. I’d whole heartedly will recommend this release to fans of melodic progressive rock. This is a beautiful album of music.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on August 16th, 2005

Tracks:

1. Anatomy of A Dream

2. Sparks And Benign Magic

3. Self Made Men

4. Gentle Landslide

5. 24

6. Frail Purpose

7. Sunburnt

8. One Voice

9. Polaroid Vendetta

10. Alien Spheres

11. Omnipresent Umbra