It’s more than two decades since Page Hamilton left NYC art-core
With a break-up, reunion and a clutch of records that favoured drop-tuned distortion and precision-core stoicism over musical evolution, it seemed like the most remarkable chapter of their story had long passed.
With seventh album Seeing Eye Dog, however, Hamilton (also a jazz guitarist and soundtrack composer) has allowed splashes of colour to infiltrate Helmet’s steel-grey stockade. And as they veer expertly between luscious, symphonic crushes (LA Water), radio rock (In Person), avant- garde sound swells (Morphing) or superweight grunge dredgers (White City), it’s a far better record for it.
