Human Code shows a potential among super groups to be quite a force as “Break the Silence” shows that they have talent and chemistry behind them on their debut “Break the Silence.” Unsure of who called whom to get this project going, all four band members are affiliated with the melodic metal band Worldview, which also seems to be gearing up for a release this year. At least they were. It is possible that Human Code got priority billing. The band consists of Barren Cross front man Michael Drive, Deliverance axeman George Ochoa, Holy Soldier drummer Terry “The Animal” Russel and Todd Libby of Worldview on bass. Produced by Dino Elefante, long time Christian music and Grammy award winning producer, the production is modern and sleek, showing off the best this band has to offer.
Human Code play in a metal-adjacent hard rock style that borders on AOR. Although typically there is an 80s flavor to their sound, the polished production makes it sound fresh. There is a good mix of hard rock swagger and driving metal with a couple of meaty ballads in the mix. Even if it is not groundbreaking for the genre, it is done well and supports their call-to-arms for Christians to stand up for what they believe against the forces of the world.
The songwriting is top notch, engaging and with lots of attitude. The songs flow organically with a nice variety of musical textures and great melodic sensibilities in Michael’s vocal performance. The instrumental breaks that open up to explore the musical landscape were refreshing compared to the usual guitar solo. There are guitar solos on the album, but usually short and sweet affairs that support musical locomotion. Although there are modern metal moments like “Say What You Mean” and “Genetic Dysfunction,” the style is more on the hard rock side, cemented with two emotionally intense, yet tender, ballads. Musical imagery often alluded to the lyrics making a rather profound experience where I was left feeling there was more to unpack in each song.
The lyrics are an unashamedly Christian witness to a society that has lost its way. The album starts with “Break the Silence” which is a call to arms for Christians to stand up against the forces of evil in the world and “Socially Incorrect” makes clear to not conform to the world. There are more spiritually focused tunes as well like the ballad “Rain,” about experiencing God’s love, and the album’s closer “Lying Whispers,” about demonic interference, admonishing us to choose life over death.
The performances are cool, solid and confident, showing the decades of experience among the band members. The rhythm section of Terry and Todd is super solid and the backbone of every song. They aren’t just reliable but darn good at their craft, most notably on “Don’t Kill the Messenger.” The rhythm guitar work supports well, but stays well away from being trite. George lays down the right groove for each song. The keyboards tend to come in as background texture except the ballads “Rain” and “40 Seconds” where the piano adds a pop flavor.
Michael provides a great performance on the mic, making use of a wide range of vocal techniques including some rapping, but mainly melodic hard rock vocals. My only complaint is the whiny timbre that comes in sometimes, especially on the chorus of “Break the Silence” which sounded like it was headed off the side of a mountain road. That said, his intensity is almost unmatched.
Although the songs landed well, were rather catchy and polished, it felt like the band was holding back. It could be the tendency towards ballads and songs hanging in a mid-tempo area for most of the album. They are almost too cool and confident that I miss a level of danger in the music, that I tend to enjoy. A perfectly executed album doesn’t mean a perfect album.
But it is as solid an album as you could ask for. A mix of metal and hard rock with a helping of AOR to their sound, it makes for good music for driving on a long trip where you can peel back the musical and lyrical layers. Although super polished and well-executed, “Break the Silence” falls short in the intangibles to make it excellent, but not without hope. With this much talent and chemistry and maybe a little more spice to the mix will yield an incredible future release. Keep it up, Human Code!
Rating: 8.5/10
Written by Sean Bailey
Tracklist
1 – Break the Silence
2 – Say What You Mean
3 – Rain
4 – Genetic Dysfunction
5 – Don’t Kill the Messenger
6 – Evermore
7 – 40 Seconds
8 – Socially Incorrect
9 – Blame Me
10 – Lying Whispers
Human Code is:
Michael Drive – vocals, guitars
George Rene Ochoa – guitars
Terry “The Animal” Russell – drums
Todd Libby – bass
Release Date: July 19, 2024
Record Label: Girder Music
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Video for Break the Silence
Video for Don’t Kill The Messenger