Hybrid Nightmares are an Australian Extreme Metal band with Black Metal and Progressive leanings.
This band are clearly talented at what they do, and what they do is craft Extreme Metal songs. These songs have a solid foundation in Black Metal but have embraced Progressive Metal tendencies that lift the tracks outside of the original genre and into a wider arena. In fact the main thing that’s Black Metal about them is the vocals and logo really.
The Second track Upon the Cursed Wings is a perfect example of this. It starts with a Metal, almost rocky swagger before slowing down to a nice groove with the Black Metal vocals kicking in. The double-bass sections, solid melodies and nice chuggy riffs reveal a real knack for songcraft. Bands like Septic Flesh, Agathodaimon, certain bits of Dimmu Borgir, (sans orchestration), and even Amon Amarth spring to mind.
The recording is as good as anything out there at the moment – everything sounds crystal clear and full of life. There’s been no slacking in this department, or any other. This is a consummately professional release in every way. This doesn’t leave the music sounding soulless and clinical however. Actually the opposite is true as the songs are presented in an appropriate format that allows the listener to take in everything that is going on, and that’s quite a bit. Special mention should indeed go to the riffs – there are some stormers here! Ashes of an Astral Winter is a veritable riff-fest of top Metal calibre.
A really good EP. If they get their foot in the door of the international stage they could go far.
Wonderbox Metal 
Holy smoke! This reminds me some of “the old good days”. Both musically and production-wise. Great mix of melody and heaviness, plus that clean production make this a great EP indeed.
I don’t agree with you when comes to musical references. I hear rather stuff like Samael and Dissection, not Demon Burger, but I understand this is very individual.
Good catch!
P.S.
Theme change? It’s more readable now, at least to me.
Yeah, decided to give the site a bit of a facelift 🙂
I can hear some Samael in there for sure. As for Demon Burger, it’s only the odd occasional bit of their more recent stuff I think. Not a huge amount. But yeah this is a great EP.
Just curious. Did you have if physically on a CD or as files downloaded from Bandcamp?
Sorry for the typo. I meant: * Did you have IT physically… *
I have it as mp3s from the band. They also sent me http://hybridnightmares.bandcamp.com/track/thrown-to-the-wolves which is also really damn good!
Anger only Aussies can produce 😀 Today was a Destroyer 666 day for me and this stuff keeps me in same mood. Love this sound.
The beginning is great. But, what the heck is that 1:17 power-folk-whatever tune? Can’t stand it… 😉