Harbour Of Souls

Album Title: 
Harbour Of Souls
Release Date: 
Monday, December 2, 2013
Label: 
Review Type: 

Goes based Dutch Hard Rock/ Heavy Metal band Harbour Of Souls was founded some 2 years ago by now singer (then drummer) Martin de Jong and lead guitarist Jesper van Hoften, who'd by then already been playing in bands (together or apart) for ten years.

With the Death Metal act they were in at the time throwing in the towel, Martin invited Jesper to just come along and have a jam at his rehearsal shack, and during that first session the song “Harbour Of Souls” found its origin. The duo liked the outcome so well, that the decided to continue writing songs in the same vein, withut any intent of doin' anything with the material. Having finished ten songs in a period of a year and a half, the guys then recorded the material, and with the final result in hand, Jesper popped the question of whether the duo would actually dó something with the material, release the music, perform it on stage! As the band in which the Martin and bassist Robbert van Hoften (yes, brother of Jesper) were playing at the time wasn't really working out too well, Martin eventually went for it, and invited Robbert to join in. Drummer Rick Schuitemaker was met in a pub, and in a slightly intoxicated mood he was invited to come along sometime and join a jam. That worked out just fine, not only (as would later transpire) on a personal level, but also because Martin wanted to concentrate on his singing. And as the music needed a second guitarist, the guys also invited Daniël Suykerbuyk (whom was at that time in the band A Generation After with Rick) for that jam. We speak early Spring 2013 when the three new guys are confronted with the ten songs the original duo had written & recorded, and during the ensuing rehearsals both the drummer and bassist put in their own bit in the music. Eventually, the band does its debut show during September on the stage of their hometown's 't Beest venue, as support for none less than Peter Pan Speedrock.

HoS' music is intentionally relatively simple on purpose, because the original writers wanted to concentrate on attractive melodies rather than on progressive complexities. Nevertheless, some of the songs get some real nice lead and solo parts. Lyrics having come to life from mumbled sing-along situations, with later fillings to fit the melody lines, are quite diverse in topic, and I guess Martin (who's not exactly a gréat singer, but then I've heard far worse in my lifetime...and so he does well indeed) must've been watching an episode of one of the new millennium's episodes of Star Trek before putting together the words of “The Borg” (a reference which only “Trekkies” will understand, I guess!). When you'll surf to (www.) harbourofsouls.com, you will find yourselves re-directed to the band's facebook page, and there, on the “BandPage” section, you'll find a foursome of songs to listen to and get acquainted with the band's music.

86/100