The Hymnal
Self-Released, 2024
8/10
An instrumental affair spearheaded by the dummer and percussionist Justin Amaral, the 10 detailed tracks welcomes some heavy hitters to the indeed large amount of grooves present.
“All Creatures Of Our God And King” starts, and pairs Amaral’s agile drumming with meticulous fiddle from Billy Contreras for a unique mashing of strings versus rock sounds, and “Holy Holy Holy” follows with Ilya Portnov’s harmonicas and jaw harp that align with unpredictable drums.
The middle spot belongs to “On Christ The Solid Rock”, where Fats Kaplin lends Sacred Steel to the Southern spirited hymn, while Paul Hiehaus’ steel guitar makes an impression for the well thought out and melodic “Come, Thou Font Of Every Blessing”.
Landing near the end, “Doxology” features Dave Coleman’s precise electric guitars amid thumping drums that emits plenty of bluesy flavor, and “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” exits with Daniel Seymour’s acoustic and electric bass for counter melodies and a dynamic interaction that finishes on a very strong note.
A highly creative effort, Amaral interprets traditional hymns with a world beat flavor, and with a different musician present on each track, the album is one pleasant surprise after another.
Travels well with: Steve Dawson- Ghosts; Jeff Coffin- Look For Water