Concert Preview and Album Review: Hadoken – T.T. the Bear’s – Feb 27, 2010

Relax your mind and let yourself be transported to a complex world, where brooding instrumentals dominate the senses, but a glimmering ray of hope (perhaps in the form of a soft xylophone) is never too far out of reach.

Amherst’s Hadoken creates such a world with atmospheric sounds that possess an ever-changing, layered quality.  Their upcoming release Luminary undulates through gentle, delicate stretches that build up into surges of power and gravity.  With the presence of three eclectic guitars and an electric violin, the six-man group is able to explore varied arrangements, techniques, and rhythms uninterrupted by vocals.

A notable song off the new album, “Stations”, transitions through space and time, telling a story all its own.  The initial soothing melody transports listeners to an ancient river town, dragonflies buzzing in the hazy dusk.  Soon, a more ominous beat takes over, abruptly thrusting the song into a futuristic environment surging with electricity.

Though many artists have found success in instrumental, experimental rock, Hadoken does it with a distinct level of care and intimacy that carries listeners through both the tiniest of ripples and the most epic of waves.  Be in attendance at their CD release party this Saturday, February 27^th as they rock T.T. the Bear’s with Caspian and Slowest Runner.  Luminary officially drops on March 9th, but you can stream “Stations” below and pre-order the whole album here if you like what you hear.  For something to feast your eyes on, check out some of the awesome artwork for Luminary by Lawrence Yang:

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http://hadokenmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/surgefist