Hällas – Panorama Review

[Album artwork: @maldoillustration (drawing) and @branca_studio (concept)]

It’s been four long years since we last heard from Sweden’s self-proclaimed ‘adventure rock’ outfit Hällas, and that time away has given the band ample opportunity to explore some new ground that honestly felt rather necessary for an outfit so vested in continuing to explore the swirling, otherworldly prog realms that stacks of predecessors such as Wishbone Ash, Genesis, Gentle Giant and Yes probed across the ‘70s and well into the ‘80s. Shapeshifting is a requirement for devout progressive rocking, but it’s just as easy for bands in this sector of the music realm to get comfortable within their own oddness, and the unique Hällas footprint many of us have come to quite enjoy nearly crossed into something that felt like stagnation with 2022’s Isle of Wisdom. Not at all an unpleasant record, mind you, but perhaps a little too cautious for a band that tacks the word ‘adventure’ to their primary objective.

To be clear, it’s not like there’s been zero progression from one release to the next from this time travelling quintet. The earliest Hällas work was more blues driven, opening up instances amidst longer stretches that conjured visions of a dreamier, more progressive form of some sort of jam band. As time and skill moved forward, they widened their vision and slowly incorporated a stronger synthesizer presence, more psychedelia, and a curious penchant for an almost poppy hook, hitting a notable peak with 2020’s gallant Conundrum—an album that made it clear Hällas had found a curious niche that divided proggy hard rock and sparkly-caped Europop pretty evenly. 2022’s Isle of Wisdom maintained that course, but as previously mentioned, outside of one notably funky divergence in “Earl’s Theme,” the record didn’t really do much to push things forward.

With full-length number four, Panorama, Hällas is finally getting to the business of shaking up the ol’ snow globe to give fans a fresh perspective. It’s still immediately identifiable as Hällas, of course, but it’s an even more iridescent and adventurous passage that tromps out some shifts that have as much potential for netting new fans as they do shaking off stragglers, the latter being of particular interest for those hoping they’d ease back on the synth / Europop angle and bolster the harder edges. If you imagine yourself in that particular category before diving in, I simply encourage you to exercise a little patience.

Right. So, the first clear shift lands right away: The opening Panorama salvo clocks in at 21:30, where the previous high-water mark was “Fading Hero” from Conundrum that laid down a comparatively moderate 8:54 range. And unsurprisingly, “Above the Continuum” delivers the bulk of the newfangled turf inside its impressive stretch, which essentially equates to an even stronger lean on synthesizer antics, plus a not at all overly intrusive symphonic component that serves to help magnify the song’s notably dramatic second half.

The guitar work remains impressively melodic and capable of conjuring acts such as Wishbone Ash, Winterhawk or even the Allman Brothers in the way the riffs from both guitarists bounce off and around one another, but there are no long, winding leads on display here, which might seem a little surprising, given the amount of time available. Instead, soloing is mostly left to the keys, giving the overall vibe a notably strong laser light show feel that I imagine will come across even more vigorously once the band sets out on tour.

The story is as integral as the music once again, and “Above the Continuum” weaves a narrative centered around a father and son towered away from a crumbled and evermore crumbling world and lamenting days past.

“Father, tell me what the world used to look like,” inquires the child (in a voice and accent I absolutely love.)

A weary father responds amidst swirling keyboard atmospherics:

“I still remember the taste of apples. The way the green grass swayed. And the warm summer wind. Rabbits and deer, running through the forest. Where trees and bushes had flourished since the beginning of time. You could see the sky… the birds… the sun. But that’s long gone. I wish you were there with me, but it’s too late now.” «« gentle and incredibly smooth progging follows »»

Not until just before the 17-minute mark does the song flex any form of aggression, and as expected, that aggression is more ‘proto-metal’ than straight up metal. When wrapped in the drama of the story, though, and especially once drummer Kasper Eriksson really starts going off on the rolls and fills, the song’s closing minutes push an utterly epic form of triumphantness that feels quite heavy, and it’s underscored further once the bombastic orchestral elements return as “Above the Continuum” crosses the 20-minute mark. Put simply, this song is easily worth the price of admission.

So, now that you’ve just delivered an absolutely epic sprawl right from the jump, what’s next? Why, you hit ‘em with the radio-friendly single, of course!

“Pardon?” ~ A bearded prog warlock that’s just finished an elaborate 20-minute spell

That’s right, Merlin, “Face of an Angel” is Panorama’s “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” “Tom Sawyer,” or “Dust in the Wind,” and according to ancient custom, the song provides every ounce of hook, line and sinker required of a song that plots a course intended to capture bystanders who have no clue how to assimilate 20-minute prog epics. And with Hällas’ penchant for the Europop end of the radio spectrum, the song ends up sounding like some sort of collision between late 70s’ ABBA and a band like Status Quo or something. So, yeah, don’t be surprised if your speakers shoot laser beams and blow a little glitter around your bong’s resting place. If that sounds a little scary to you, just know that the hook is unconquerable, and the guitar and synth leads will be there to ease your pain.

The one other curveball lands with “Bestiaus,” a plaintive 4.5-minute piano ballad that does a great job of showcasing the wonderful pipes of bassist / vocalist Tommy Alexandersson—something each Hällas release has done comparably, but not nearly as… starkly and gloomily. “Bestiaus” is a beautiful song, and the band wisely sandwiches it between the two tracks on the album that happen to be the closest thing to ‘classic Hällas’ you’ll get in 2026. Album closer “At the Summit” is the heaviest song on the album, with a booming organ backing up its punchy prog riffs, and “The Emissary” is one of those tasty Hällas rollickers that also unfurls that familiar psych-folk vibe that suits the band’s ‘adventure rock’ designation to a T.

Bottom line: If you’re a fan of Hällas and have spent the last four years or so getting rather anxious about what’s next, and you’ve also been hoping the collective would find some new and interesting ways to expand on their familiar form of trekking, Panorama is very likely to whirl, soar, swoop and gliiiiide into and around your heart as it overpowers your listening time. It might not hit right off the bat, which I think can be a very favorable sign, but I’m guessing once you fall for it, it’ll be one of your faves from the band.

And hey, if you’re brand new to Hällas and this is your first dip… Welcome to the adventure!