Cyhra's 'No Halos in Hell' - Album Review

Two years ago, the Swedish heavy metal 'supergroup' Cyhra burst onto the scene with their debut album Letters to Myself (which I reviewed here). Formed principally by former members of Amaranthe and In Flames, Cyhra are a great example of European melodic metal. Amaranthe have became known for their poppy hooks over the past decade, whereas In Flames took the melodic death metal sound to new heights throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, before switching to a more alternative metal sound. In many ways, Cyhra is a perfect mix of Amaranthe's poppy, melodic sound and In Flames' tougher crunch - although leaning more heavily on the former. Letters to Myself perfectly encapsulated this meeting of minds - with the core songwriting duo of frontman Jake E and guitarist Jesper Strömblad churning out a number of memorable tracks filled with strong melodic riffs and hooky choruses. Cyhra might be too lightweight for many In Flames fans, but those who enjoy strong pop metal hooks and European power metal certainly found a lot to enjoy in Letters to Myself. Over the past couple of years, the band has been quite busy touring - supporting a number of other acts and throwing in a few headline shows along the way. These two years however has seen the band's line-up often fluctuate, which has certainly not helped Cyhra to present a consistent and united front to the fans. Original bassist Peter Iwers lasted precisely one show before bowing out of the band, and he has never been replaced - leaving Cyhra without a bassist. Strömblad, who has had a patchy history with substance abuse issues, lasted somewhat longer but has not been a part of the band's live line-up for sometime either. This is a shame, as he is one of the band's core members - but it does not seem that he is going to be returning to live duties any time soon. Even drummer Alex Landenburg has had to sit out of a few shows due to Kamelot-related commitments - leaving E and guitarist Euge Valovirta to really push forward with Cyhra. Valovirta joined the band not long after the release of Letters to Myself after performing many of the album's guitar solos as a session player - but he has become an integral member of Cyhra ever since. The band's second album No Halos in Hell was released last month, and it is clear from looking at the writing credits how important Valovirta has become to the band. The songwriting duo has essentially become a triumvirate, with many of the tracks put together by E, Strömblad, and Valovirta - or a combination of the three. Valovirta's involvement has lessened Strömblad's influence somewhat too, so there is a distinct lack of the big In Flames-esque guitar harmonies that were found on Letters to Myself - which is not necessarily a bad thing as No Halos in Hell sees Cyhra starting to really forge their own sound. This new album is poppier than the band's debut, but the songwriting throughout is largely very strong. Keyboards have been given a greater role here too, with numerous session players such as Elias Holmid (Disdain; Dragonland) and Jonah Weingarten (Pyramaze; Echoterra; We Are Sentinals), as well as Strömblad, contributing keyboard and piano work throughout.

Just as Letters to Myself kicked off with its lead single, No Halos in Hell opens up with Out of My Life - the album's video. The song is an instantly-memorable pop metal anthem that, while not quite hitting as hard as Karma did on the band's debut, gets the album underway in style. A slow guitar lead emerges from a wall of synths, before the song explodes with a tough rhythm and Landenburg's precise drumming. There is a certain crunch throughout the album, but No Halos in Hall is never truly 'heavy'. There is too much of a pop influence here for that, but the melodies throughout help to retain interest. There are plenty of soaring melodies throughout this opening track, with a sparse verse that pushes E's voice to the fore and an anthemic chorus. This is not an album that takes too many risks, so Out of My Life is fairly typical of what is to come - with catchy choruses and pulsing synths truly the order of the day. The album's title track is next, and a little bit of that old In Flames sound is showcased from the off with a tasty mid-paced guitar riff before everything is stripped back for a verse that pushes tinkling piano melodies and a fat bassline to the fore. Valovirta handles the album's bass duties, with his playing really tightening up the verses here before the chorus bulks up once again with E's voice soaring atop something of a mid-paced synth-led drone. Despite being a very poppy album, there are still occasional moments of shredding metal guitar - with Valovirta laying down a fast-paced solo towards the end before a final reprise of the chorus. Battle from Within is one of the album's highlights for me, and it is the first Cyhra track to be solely composed by E. As a result the arrangements are much simpler, but it really works well and it allows his vocals and melodies to really shine. It is only the choruses that really sound as full as the band's usual sound, with guitars and bass joining forces for a slightly gothic vibe - while occasional mournful leads add colour. The verses are quite different, with Landenburg's simple drumming keeping the song moving while swirling synths and dancing orchestrations form the main musical bulk. It is a very simple song, but everything comes together nicely to produce something very memorable. It contains one of E's best vocal performances to date in my opinion too, with a lot of emotion pouring from him throughout. I Am the One is a lot more up-tempo, and certainly more akin to the songs found on the band's debut. It is immediately much heavier with a rolling drum pattern and the dual guitar leads that have become a big part of Strömblad's style over the years. This is one of the most metallic pieces here, with plenty of tough riffing and punchy drumming - although the poppy melodies are still extremely prevalent, with a gang vocal-led chorus instantly sticking in the brain. It is nice to hear Strömblad's influence throughout the track. His time away from the live iteration of Cyhra has certainly seen his influence diminish somewhat, but this track is full of those In Flames-isms and it is all the better for it.

On the other hand, Bye Bye Forever is much poppier with dancey melodies, pulsing synths, and plenty of vocal effects that are more commonly heard on Top 40 tracks than your average metal album. The crunch is largely relegated to the bottom here, although a few guitar leads surface throughout to ground the track. Besides the synths, it is actually the bass that actually stands out the most here - with Valovirta's playing really driving the sparse, groovy verses and providing a strong backing for E's simple vocal melodies. It is a catchy tune, but for me it lacks the strong metal elements that make Cyhra interesting. It is the mix of light and shade that make the band tick, and for me this track has too much of the light and not enough of the shade. Dreams Gone Wrong gets the balance right however, with a slow intro that builds towards a mid-paced explosive guitar riff. The opening guitar lead is very memorable, as is the verse that it gives way to. The verses are some of the album's most muscular with some penetrating bass tones and tough guitar rhythms. Despite being heavier, the track sacrifices nothing on the melodic front however, with one of the album's best choruses and some great keyboard-led instrumental sections. The chorus melodies are extremely memorable, with E delivering a great performance throughout. Amaranthe are certainly missing his knack for a great melody, and it is tracks like this that really showcase his mix of pop hooks and metal riffing perfectly. Lost in Time is the album's ballad, and is a collaboration between E and Mark Mangold (Touch; Drive, She Said) - who also performs the piano throughout. I certainly was not expecting to see a Mangold co-write on this album, but as a big fan of Touch's only album and some of the tracks he co-wrote with Michael Bolton I was excited to hear his contribution to Cyhra. The result is a piano-led ballad that sees E deliver a truly soaring vocal performance while Mangold's piano and orchestrations swirl around him. The first time I heard the song I expected the rest of the band to crash in at some point, but they never do. I think that this is the right decision however, as it means that the song provides a great mid-album break and puts the emphasis on some excellent piano playing. E's vocal performance is another of his best too, and I would love to hear more collaborations between him and Mangold going forward. After some respite via the previous song Kings Tonight feels heavier and sees the band refreshed and rearing to go. It is one of the fasted-paced tracks here, with some excellent drumming throughout from Landenburg and some strong knotty guitar riffing. There is a bit more of a overblown power metal vibe here, with a kinetic energy throughout - recalling the songs Strömblad wrote with HammerFall. The chorus is pure power metal, with dramatic and soaring vocal melodies - before symphonic keyboards kick in for added weight. Even the guitar leads throughout recall those early HammerFall albums, allowing Strömblad a chance to write in a way that he has not for a while.

I Had Your Back is another weighty track, although more akin to the band's typical sound - leaving the power metal trappings behind. Despite this, it is still one of the heaviest tracks here. Landenburg is quick to launch into a double bass drum pattern throughout, with the guitar riffing often beefing itself up to suit the song's overall heaviness. It is another really good mix of light and shade, with E's melodies and moments of piano providing the light, with the shade coming from the two guitarists' riffing. It also contains one of the album's best solos in my opinion, although it is not the shred-fest that might be expected. It does speed up towards the end, but on the whole it is a controlled burst of melody from Valovirta that showcases all of his talents. Blood Brothers continues the heaviness, with some of the most in-your-face drumming of the album and some effective riffing. No Halos in Hell is an album that seems to get heavier as it moves along. Many of the first half of the album focuses on poppy melodies, with those that follow the ballad Lost in Time picking up the pace and showcasing the band's heavier side. It is an album that contains a bit of everything, and Blood Brothers is one of the tracks that the metalheads are more likely to enjoy. There is plenty of strong lead guitar work throughout, with shredded and more-controlled sections appearing throughout - with the poppy melodies on the whole taking a backseat. The chorus is still strong, but this feels like more of a guitarist's song than one for those who love a good pop melody. Hit Me continues the metal vibe of the album's second half with a strong melodic death metal riff and some fast-paced drumming. It is easily the album's heaviest moment, but it soon gives way to a much slower verse with dominant piano melodies and E's sultry vocals. It is a bit of a strange song, but all the elements seem to work well together. It is almost the most extreme example of the band's light and shade, with some of the heaviest moments of the album sitting side-by-side with some of the poppiest. It is almost as if the band were seeing how far they could push their formula with this track, and it all just about holds itself together. The album's closing track Man of Eternal Rain is a really strong one that seems to be taking a bit of everything from the album's other songs and throwing them all together into a blender. There is heaviness, there is melody, there is drama, and there is great guitar work. It all comes together nicely - with a big chorus providing to be the hook that everything is hung off. Gothenburg-esque riffing can be found throughout, upping the heaviness, while a shredded solo appears towards the end for that virtuosic touch. There is a lot of excellent guitar moments throughout the track, and it is another song that seems to be largely for guitarists' - despite a powerful chorus. It brings the album to a strong close, and showcases a bit of everything that makes Cyhra so interesting. Overall, No Halos in Hell is a really strong second album from the Swedish band that builds on their debut album and sees them really starting to formulate their own sound. I think that this album is slightly stronger overall than the first album, with some future melodic metal classics held within.

The album was released on 15th November 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Out of My Life.