Review Summary: Hush is a great album — which, unfortunately, is exactly the problem.
Oh, dear reader, it happened again. This time with Tardigrade Inferno.
I discover a band. I dive headfirst into their discography. I become slightly obsessed with everything they’ve released so far. Every album clicks. Every song lands. At some point, I inevitably reach that dangerous conclusion: this band simply cannot miss.
And then it happens.
The first new release that comes out after I’ve become a fan arrives… and it’s good. Not bad. Not embarrassing. Just… good. Which, of course, creates that quiet little disappointment that every music fan secretly knows.
You sit there thinking:
“Really? Right when it was finally my turn?”
It is in this context that Hush, the third studio album by Tardigrade Inferno, arrives. Produced once again by Vladimir Lehtinen, a recurring collaborator of the band, Hush continues to explore the unique identity the group has been building since Mastermind: a hybrid of theatrical metal, dark cabaret and macabre circus aesthetics.
However, there are some substantial changes. Even visually — for the first time, the band’s tardigrade mascot does not appear on the album cover.
But the biggest shift happens in the sound itself. This process had already begun on Burn the Circus, and I think it becomes fully consolidated on Hush: almost gone are the retro-futuristic keyboards of Tardigrade Inferno (the EP) and Mastermind, a trademark element of the band since the beginning. In its place, the band leans on several synthesizers. The sound now feels darker, more gothic — but also a bit more conventional (by this band’s standards, of course).
Being honest? I really miss the keyboards. I think they distinguished the band’s sound tremendously.
Another notable change is the significant increase in lyrics in Russian. Until now, the most Russian we had heard was a single swear word in We Are Number One. Now we have an entire song in Russian (Hide n’ Seek) and another with Russian verses (All In Your Head). It makes perfect sense for a Russian band whose core audience clearly lives there — just look at the massive amount of Russian comments under their YouTube videos.
But guys… come on! It just makes it harder for the rest of us to sing along!
The band’s lineup remains unchanged from the previous record. Darya Rorria continues to be an absolute monster on vocals, delivering dramatic and versatile performances as always. Beetlejuice — I mean, Alexander Pavlovich — keeps destroying on guitar. I love his guitar tone, both live and in the studio. He extracts as much weight as possible from the instrument in any setting. Maxim Belekhov remains the intellectual mastermind behind this insane quartet, and Andrew Drew does a solid job on drums.
The album opens with The Final Show, whose ghostly introduction slowly builds until it explodes into a nearly tribal drum groove. Darya enters midway through the track and eventually unleashes a terrifying growl. A nice intro.
Next comes Hide n’ Seek, the album’s first single. And Holy Mother of Heavy Riffs… what is that main riff? Once again the drums feel almost tribal. The song isn’t fast, but it is extremely heavy (a lesson learned long ago from Black Sabbath). Darya once again delivers a great vocal performance. The track also features an excellent solo and a simple, chant-like chorus that should work perfectly live with the crowd singing along.
Then comes Deadly Fairytales. The track is energetic and built around a dark cabaret atmosphere with circus overtones and powerful theatrical riffs. It also taps directly into the fans’ nostalgia by bringing back the kazoo, evoking the spirit of We Are Number One. Nice touch, guys.
All In Your Head immediately brings back the dark circus atmosphere, quickly evolving into a mid-tempo gallop accompanied by a children’s choir chanting “la la la”. The song is very catchy and keeps the album’s level high so far.
Dead Fish Smile, another single released before the album, is a power ballad with a dark melodic core and a noir atmosphere reminiscent of a smoky bar (chaoszine). The track highlights Rorria’s versatile vocals, shifting from gentle singing to macabre whispers, creating a theatrical, unsettling and captivating experience. It's kind of an epic song, you know?
Subatomic Heist was the last single released before the album. I must admit it didn’t do much for me on the first listen, but it has been growing on me, and I’ve come to appreciate it much more.
“But Pascarella, you madman! You’ve been praising the album so far — so why the disappointment in the introduction?”
Because I really wanted to give another 4-star rating to a Tardigrade Inferno album. Instead, I’ll have to settle for calling this a great record.
The reason is that, with the exception of Goor (which has some strong moments), the second half of the album unfortunately fails to maintain the same level as the first. I.C.D., Hush (the title track), and I Am Eternal didn’t really add much for me. They’re not bad songs — don’t get me wrong — but they simply didn’t move me.
In the end, someone far more impartial than I am would probably say I’m being ridiculous. After all, I myself am calling the album great.
But who said I want to be impartial?
But OK. You could absolutely start exploring the band’s discography here.
But if it were up to me… I’d recommend starting with Mastermind.
