Country: Portugal
Genre: Progressive Metal
Release: 19 May 2026
For fans of: Bruce Dickinson, Pain of Salvation, Fates Warning, Warrel Dane
“`REVIEW | Metal Territory
Hourswill return with Ensemble, a record that honors the traditional progressive metal school of the ’80s and ’90s, with clean vocals, long durations and strong melodicism. The album opens with a 23-minute composition and closes with a 13-minute one, showing from the start that the band isn’t afraid of long forms and demanding structures.
Leonel Silva’s voice is the first element that grabs attention. It strongly recalls Bruce Dickinson of the solo period, with a lower, rougher and more mature tone. On tracks like “Not Enough” his delivery brings Pain of Salvation to mind, while on “Unheilvoll” the approach is purely heavy/prog with a strong 90s aesthetic. That track is also the record’s most immediate and catchy.
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Musically, Ensemble moves between melodic prog metal and more classic heavy metal lines. The guitars prefer clean, melodic riffs over technical acrobatics, the keyboards are used mainly for atmosphere, while the rhythm section keeps a steady base without excess. This makes the record easy to listen to, but at the same time it lacks a bit more intensity to support its long duration.
The album’s big problem is its excessive length. “Le Radeau de la Méduse” has nice moments — especially the darker, almost Opeth‑like point in the middle — but the 23-minute duration isn’t fully justified. Many riffs are repeated without developing, and the composition would work better if it were more condensed. The same goes for “Gehenna”, which has strong moments but drags before reaching its climax.
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Between the two long tracks there are shorter compositions, but these too could be tighter. The instrumental “Paso de Cuervo” has nice melodies, but doesn’t justify its existence as a separate track. The Portuguese ballad “O que a Vida me Deu” is beautiful and distinctive, but feels somewhat foreign within the record’s overall flow.
Despite its weaknesses, Ensemble has strong moments and shows a band with passion for the genre. Hourswill honor classic progressive metal with respect and gusto, and those who love the school of Fates Warning and Pain of Salvation will find plenty to appreciate. With tighter songwriting and more variety, the band can reach a much higher level.
Tracklists
1.1816
2. Le radeau de la Méduse
3.Unheilvoll
4.Depressione Anaclitica
5. O Que a Vida me Deu
6.Paso de Cuervo
7.Not Enough
8.Gehenna
Final score: 5/10
Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hourswill/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hourswill/
