SiM - 'Human After All' Album Review

20 hours ago
2 min read

Tracklist:

1. FIVE TIMES DEAD (by my wallet)

2. BLiNDEYES (Ft. HANABIE)

3. DALALA

4. HOLD MY BEER

5. Karen's Son

6. The Sniffing Cats Ska (Ft. HEY-SMITH)

7. HOOMAN AFTER ALL

8. GHOST iN TOKYO

9. ZiON (Ft. coldrain)

10. BLACK SUBMARINE

11. FREEZE ME UP

12. Sailing On

Japanese metallers SiM are back with their seventh record 'HOOMAN AFTER ALL', released September 2nd via UNFD records.

As is the case with pretty much all the metal I've heard that has come out of Japan, SiM have a reputation for producing high octaine, absolutely batshit music, and that is certainly no different on 'HOOMAN AFTER ALL'. From the outset with 'FIVE TIMES DEAD (by my wallet)' they maintain that insane energy that they have cultivated over their 20+ years as a band, and show absolutely no signs of slowing down.

Now SiM don't just play straightforward metal, incorporating elements of hip-hop, pop, reggae, punk and beyond, and tracks like the one two punch of 'HOLD MY BEER' and 'Karen's Son' really highlight this. The former feeling like Skindred on steroids, and the latter being on the lighter side of things, taking on a J-Pop sound whilst still maintaining an element of heaviness, and then taking things into the ska realm with following track -and aptly named- 'The Sniffing Cats Ska (ft. HEY-SMITH)'. You never know where this band are going to go from one track to another in the best way possible.

I've seen some people call out this record for being "millennial cringe", and honestly, I feel like they don't really get the band. Yes, the album title is fairly outdated when it comes to internet culture, but I feel like the ethos and energy of the band more than makes up for it, and it even makes sense, with the band all but saying "yeah? So what? Deal with it". And with the absolute madness they bring with songs like 'ZiON (Ft. coldrain)' for any "cringe" elements.

Honestly, I don't feel like I can encapsulate everything about SiM even in this longer form written review, even if it's just one album. They truly are a band that have to be heard to believed. They have such a unique energy that is very difficult to quantify, but I can say for absolute certain that is extremely infectious, and seemingly limitless as they one up themselves with every release. Upon its release, I felt like 2023's 'PLAYDEAD' couldn't be topped, a similar thought I had with 2020's 'THANK GOD, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF WAYS TO KiLL ENEMiES' but they've somehow broken through that ceiling once again, and it makes me wonder how they've got it in them, and what the hell is in the water for musicians over in Japan.