Shai Hulud

Fans of Shai Hulud have waited long enough to hear new material from the hardcore quartet. Their brash yet sensitive sound had always set them apart from the sea of other metal-influenced hardcore bands. The latest release, That Within Blood Ill-Tempered, is an epic measure of just how good a band they really are. An awe-inspiring mix of artful words and brazen guitar harmonies, Shai Hulud maintain their thuggish and heavy sound, yet manage to expose just the right amount of vulnerability. The album is both pretentiously poetic and remarkably modest, with a major theme being that of sincerity. With the fervent metal track "The Consummate Dragon” and the almost poppy "Given Flight By Demon’s Wings,” Shai Hulud has obviously stayed sincere to their trademark sound. Despite the record’s delayed release and the unnecessarily long song titles, Shai Hulud make a welcome return with this record and remind fans of what made the band so special in the first place.