Belvedere – Hindsight Is The Sixth Sense

Calgary skate-punk veterans Belvedere have always existed on the fringe of the melodic skate-punk scene in their home country.  Originating from a region of Canada known mostly for conservative political ideologies and stampede rodeos probably didn’t work in their favour.  Back in the day of file sharing on internet forums I recall tons of Europeans speaking of Belvedere’s unrivalled prowess.  Ironically, despite only living a province away from their hometown, it was these overseas enthusiasts that woke me up to the potential of this Canadian punk cult hit.

After twenty-five years and a brief hiatus, Belvedere returns for their sixth full length, Hindsight Is The Sixth Sense.  The album marks the follow-up to the band’s previous return from dormancy and continues to build upon the momentum defining their relaunch.  The band retains all the markers that have always garnered favourable comparisons with the likes of Good Riddance, Bad Religion, and NOFX, but leverage their further inspiration from Strike Anywhere and Propagandhi.

The album opens full tilt with a salvo of technically aggressive, speed-punk aligned riffage.  “Happily Never After” sets the tone by pairing this sonic sense of urgency with the proclamation that humanity is heading into a death spiral that cannot be reversed.  It’s a whirlwind of an opener, propelling listeners through moments of unrelenting melodic speed that eventually slows to a sullen, vocally focused diminuendo.  “Don’t disappoint the ones with hopeful eyes,” asks the band, pleading with listeners to think of more than just the current generation, before diving headlong into a rip roaring, metal-inspired onslaught that sets a high bar for subsequent solos.  

Themes of corporate domination exercising a stranglehold on society continue into “Elephant March” – a chaotic, lurching track that succeeds on the strength of the song’s underlying bass groove and dark, disjointed delivery.  Meanwhile, “Chromatic” calls to “get off this sinking ship,” bolstering the message of breaking free from society’s shackles well into the album’s half way mark and beyond.  Others, like “Automate” and “Peace In Our Time” provide glimmers of hope at a breakneck pace that reflect the intensity and immediacy of the situation while remaining optimistic in spirit. 

Belvedere is an ambitious band, and Hindsight Is The Sixth Sense never falters from the goal  of achieving technical speed, melody, and an underlying social consciousness.  While not every track cements itself in memory as firmly as others (every third track or so, like “The Ides,” tends to blend in with their neighbours), those that rise to the top boast a combination of contemplative lyrics and sonic intensity that cannot be denied.  Hindsight Is The Sixth Sense once again provides a fine example of why Belvedere has had such success in their niche beyond the borders of their hometown.