The opus expands with conscious depth and vivid, philosophical lyricism to take us on a somewhat subversive, and eye-opening journey. We connect deeply with the intricacy of the sound design and the emotive and charismatic nature of the vocal performances, as well as the deeper message of the piece.
We appreciate the switch ups and minimalist middle eight, full of assertive energy before the return of the guitars to bring us through to an epic and anthemic finale. The addition of the pitched down screamo-metal vocals is dynamic touch, taking us through to a super ethereal conclusion, designed to form a perfect loop.
Speaking on the message of the release, the talented band confesses, “Daughters of Hecate is a warning shot. A loud and aggressive heads up, ahead of our debut EP coming out in May. It’s a clear indication that we will be bringing something a little different to the UK metal scene.”
The creators from Liverpool invite us into their “dark world”, and tell us how Daughters of Hecate is about “the embedded bloodline of the ancient Oracles, still coursing through the veins of women today. It’s a wake up call to the buried divine feminine to mount up and remind the world who they are.”
Neon Oracle features Samantha Belle Raee, who composes and produces the tracks and sings vocals, whilst Brandon Kelly and Alex Harris slay on guitars, with Ben Parker on bass and Andy on drums.
With reference to their influences, we learn that Samantha draws from a plethora of genres including trip-hop, classical, metal, hip hop and modern composers like Vangelis and Hans Zimmer, which certainly comes through in the composition.
Brandon cites inspiration for his riffs from classic heavy metal like Lamb of God and Machinehead. Alex taps into the vibes of Periphery and Crossfaith, whilst Ben is inspired by funk and hip-hop like Roni Size and Beastie Boys, leaving Andy who is credited as “a phenomenal all rounder” – a solid fit for the many beat styles Neon Oracle manifests. We connect deeply with the inspirations that the band mention, although there is no doubt that Neon Oracle are creating a universe of their own.
We look forward to the release of the band’s upcoming debut EP, and in the meantime, we will continue to stream their wider discography including Summoner!