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Herman Martinez is a multi-instrumentalist that has the uncanny ability to blend dark, twisting catchy melodies with psychedelic progressive rock. His album Secret Doors Hidden Stairs: Season 2 took me on a trip throughout space and time. I mean just look at the album artwork. It's so strange, but also quite funny. I'm intrigued. This is one of those albums where you can put headphones on in a pitch black room and just lose yourself. It shifts from acoustic guitar to heavily distorted guitars instantly and fiercely. The album features Martinez on guitar, bass, piano and vocals and Hank Yaghooti on drums. Most of the tracks remind me of bands like Opeth (circa 2003), Soundgarden and Tool: eerily beautiful, yet darkly sophisticated. If you were to blend 70s psychedelic rock with 90s grunge... Secret Doors would be the outcome.
The album opens with the track Season Premiere. It starts with a menacing single delayed and reverb-drenched note played on guitar. Soon after this, another ambient guitar panned hard right starts playing, then another one panned hard left joins in. The song continues to build with more guitars, but everything REALLY starts when the massive sounding drums and bass come in. It feels like someone recorded the drums in a cave and the snare just cuts through the mix like a knife. Martinez's voice is rough and rigid. During the chorus he sounds like a tortured soul in purgatory just hoping to be freed someday. The vocals pan from right to left and utilize the stereo field to create a whirling atmosphere. Around 2:16, the sound of a piano can be heard, while the guitars move into a frenzied array of solos. The song ends with a hard kick and snare.
Emerther reminds me of the song Windowpane by Opeth. I'm not sure if Martinez was influenced by the group or not, but the opening guitar riff just gives off a similar feeling. Take a listen to both (I'll put the link below). He is able to capture a decrepit haunted house vibe. The acoustic and electric guitars are both dissonant and cold. The vocal harmonies are strained (in a good way) and support the main melody well. There are some big changes in this song that make my ears perk up and keep me interested like those two HEAVY chords at 1:14 that lead into the next section. 2:32 offers some nice harmonies on guitar. 3:06 is when it gets brutal. The guitars are distorted and crunchy. I wish Martinez sang this section with more grit and intensity. 3:52 changes to a 6/8 time signature, which gives it a disoriented vibe. The heaviness comes right back in at 4:43. It fades out with bass and acoustic guitar.
Paracosm is one of the more uplifting tracks on this album. It transports me to a fairy-tale forest with lush greenery and magic creatures. It is light, airy and gives me the dreamy sensation of flying through puffy clouds. During the choruses, Martinez doubles his vocals to make them sound thicker and also giving the illusion that more individuals are singing with him. At 1:18, he offers a nice little two note melody with clean guitars panned hard left and right. The drums fit in quite nicely and don't overpower the other instruments. I enjoy the handclaps along with the snare. I also enjoy the solo finger-picked acoustic guitar at 1:38 and at 3:55. Martinez just jams until the track eventually fades out.
Pareidolia is a minor-infused instrumental track that offers a nice segue into Magic Squares. He manages to keep the creepy vibe going strong. It's like falling into a black hole with no sense of hope. The electric guitars are crisply ambient and just wash over you. The drums are incredibly heavy (especially the kick drum).
Magic Squares is Martinez's strongest vocal performance for sure. Just listen to the chorus (47 seconds in). He really goes for it AND nails it. From 3:42 until the ending guitar, the track reaches a fiery high point with blistering distorted guitar.
Apartment 10 opens with ambient drums and acoustic guitar panned hard left and right. It induces a dreamy haze. The guitar riff 50 seconds in is reminiscent of the the main riff from Emerther. The chorus effect on the guitars at 2:28 sounded lushly pleasant as the song was ending.
Secret Identity is a piano driven ballad that departs from the overall haunting vibe running throughout the album. Martinez molded his voice to become more subtle and soft. The pad/strings that start around 50 seconds in provide this calm and nurturing feeling that is hard to describe. This song almost makes me feel better. Almost like a relief... just beautiful. The bass riff stands out in this song and creates a forward, driving motion.
The Gardener really shows off Martinez's skills as a guitarist. It builds and builds until the electrifying section at 3:35. The vocals are definitely the main focus for this one. With multiple vocal tracks, it forces me to pay attention and opens up the space with reverb especially during the ending.
John Travoltrons Theme is the second/final instrumental track and it does not disappoint. I was in for a shock around 1:05 because that is when the song starts to kick ass. The heavily distorted bass guitar just pounds away and provides a steady groove for the guitars that come in later. The track becomes chaotic when the frenzied guitars arrive. You don't really know which one to focus on, so it might take multiple listens to really grasp the full epicness.
The seven minute and thirty nine second Season Finale closes out the album strongly. This one is definitely the most dissonant and bizarre. The vibe I get from this song is, well... psychotic in nature. I could imagine this song playing while someone is having a bad acid trip or being played in the mind of a serial killer. The drums, bass and guitar are tightly locked in until about 38 seconds when the acoustic guitar comes in. Things get weird after that and the structure bends/falls apart, but in a controlled manner (if that makes sense). The song fades out abruptly, signaling the end. Or is it?
The sense of space on this album is incredible and the songs keep the same aesthetic quality throughout. The use of panning, reverb, delay, double tracking and ambience allow the instruments to be independent of one another, yet gel together ever so nicely. The level of production is professional and I was happy with the musicianship and the quality of the music itself. Martinez is a jack of all trades and it clearly shows. He can only keep improving with time.
-JM
The album opens with the track Season Premiere. It starts with a menacing single delayed and reverb-drenched note played on guitar. Soon after this, another ambient guitar panned hard right starts playing, then another one panned hard left joins in. The song continues to build with more guitars, but everything REALLY starts when the massive sounding drums and bass come in. It feels like someone recorded the drums in a cave and the snare just cuts through the mix like a knife. Martinez's voice is rough and rigid. During the chorus he sounds like a tortured soul in purgatory just hoping to be freed someday. The vocals pan from right to left and utilize the stereo field to create a whirling atmosphere. Around 2:16, the sound of a piano can be heard, while the guitars move into a frenzied array of solos. The song ends with a hard kick and snare.
Emerther reminds me of the song Windowpane by Opeth. I'm not sure if Martinez was influenced by the group or not, but the opening guitar riff just gives off a similar feeling. Take a listen to both (I'll put the link below). He is able to capture a decrepit haunted house vibe. The acoustic and electric guitars are both dissonant and cold. The vocal harmonies are strained (in a good way) and support the main melody well. There are some big changes in this song that make my ears perk up and keep me interested like those two HEAVY chords at 1:14 that lead into the next section. 2:32 offers some nice harmonies on guitar. 3:06 is when it gets brutal. The guitars are distorted and crunchy. I wish Martinez sang this section with more grit and intensity. 3:52 changes to a 6/8 time signature, which gives it a disoriented vibe. The heaviness comes right back in at 4:43. It fades out with bass and acoustic guitar.
Paracosm is one of the more uplifting tracks on this album. It transports me to a fairy-tale forest with lush greenery and magic creatures. It is light, airy and gives me the dreamy sensation of flying through puffy clouds. During the choruses, Martinez doubles his vocals to make them sound thicker and also giving the illusion that more individuals are singing with him. At 1:18, he offers a nice little two note melody with clean guitars panned hard left and right. The drums fit in quite nicely and don't overpower the other instruments. I enjoy the handclaps along with the snare. I also enjoy the solo finger-picked acoustic guitar at 1:38 and at 3:55. Martinez just jams until the track eventually fades out.
Pareidolia is a minor-infused instrumental track that offers a nice segue into Magic Squares. He manages to keep the creepy vibe going strong. It's like falling into a black hole with no sense of hope. The electric guitars are crisply ambient and just wash over you. The drums are incredibly heavy (especially the kick drum).
Magic Squares is Martinez's strongest vocal performance for sure. Just listen to the chorus (47 seconds in). He really goes for it AND nails it. From 3:42 until the ending guitar, the track reaches a fiery high point with blistering distorted guitar.
Apartment 10 opens with ambient drums and acoustic guitar panned hard left and right. It induces a dreamy haze. The guitar riff 50 seconds in is reminiscent of the the main riff from Emerther. The chorus effect on the guitars at 2:28 sounded lushly pleasant as the song was ending.
Secret Identity is a piano driven ballad that departs from the overall haunting vibe running throughout the album. Martinez molded his voice to become more subtle and soft. The pad/strings that start around 50 seconds in provide this calm and nurturing feeling that is hard to describe. This song almost makes me feel better. Almost like a relief... just beautiful. The bass riff stands out in this song and creates a forward, driving motion.
The Gardener really shows off Martinez's skills as a guitarist. It builds and builds until the electrifying section at 3:35. The vocals are definitely the main focus for this one. With multiple vocal tracks, it forces me to pay attention and opens up the space with reverb especially during the ending.
John Travoltrons Theme is the second/final instrumental track and it does not disappoint. I was in for a shock around 1:05 because that is when the song starts to kick ass. The heavily distorted bass guitar just pounds away and provides a steady groove for the guitars that come in later. The track becomes chaotic when the frenzied guitars arrive. You don't really know which one to focus on, so it might take multiple listens to really grasp the full epicness.
The seven minute and thirty nine second Season Finale closes out the album strongly. This one is definitely the most dissonant and bizarre. The vibe I get from this song is, well... psychotic in nature. I could imagine this song playing while someone is having a bad acid trip or being played in the mind of a serial killer. The drums, bass and guitar are tightly locked in until about 38 seconds when the acoustic guitar comes in. Things get weird after that and the structure bends/falls apart, but in a controlled manner (if that makes sense). The song fades out abruptly, signaling the end. Or is it?
The sense of space on this album is incredible and the songs keep the same aesthetic quality throughout. The use of panning, reverb, delay, double tracking and ambience allow the instruments to be independent of one another, yet gel together ever so nicely. The level of production is professional and I was happy with the musicianship and the quality of the music itself. Martinez is a jack of all trades and it clearly shows. He can only keep improving with time.
-JM
Score: 7.5/10
Favorite Track: Secret Identity
Favorite Track: Secret Identity
Bandcamp: https://hermanmartinez.bandcamp.com/album/secret-doors-hidden-stairs-season-2
Opeth Windowpane: https://youtu.be/bSpqLqC7U6g
Opeth Windowpane: https://youtu.be/bSpqLqC7U6g
Album Credits:
Herman Martinez- Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Piano
Hank Yaghooti- Drums
Chase Cassara- Engineer
Ahmed Mahmoud- Producer, Engineer
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