REVIEW: SiM - HOOMAN AFTER ALL
- Amy Smyth
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Japanese alt-metal quartet SIM are finally releasing their 7th full length studio album HOOMAN AFTER ALL. Having already released three singles and receiving a great amount of love the album has been long awaited by many fans. The album has a variety of huge collaborations as well as being labelled the band's most comprehensive and energetic record to date.
SIM dabble in a range of genres all centering around metalcore and ska punk but their production style from debut has been messy and genre hopping in the best way possible. Debuting in 2008 with Silence Iz Mine, the band have been grinding ever since receiving huge amounts of love across the world for the unique blends. They broke through in the scene along with the release of The Rumbling, famously one of the most iconic songs coming from the popular anime Attack On Titan.
The first track on the album is FiVE TiMES DEAD (by my wallet), the first single released in April of this year. The song crashes in with a heavy intro, blasting your ears with a sonically crushing opening and setting the tone for the rest of the album. It falls more towards the metalcore realm with an energetic beat that brings in drum and bass elements and features those signature syncopated chords from the reggae genre. No two bars of the song are the same with a half time break down, the chorus is the only familiarity you’ll find in its sequence.
BLiNDEYES is the next track featuring Yukina of HANABIE., a Japanese metalcore band formed in 2015. This song was also a prereleased single and was a long awaited collaboration with the two bands having a huge fanbase and sound overlap; it was only a matter of time before the two got on a track together. Third in the track list is the first of the unreleased songs in the album, greeting the fans ears for the first time, DALALA. Opening with a speeding nu-metal beat and distorted vocals and guitar to accompany before switching keys into the chorus bringing a fresh major key tone. It takes a second for the ears to adjust but SIM make it work, a bold choice that certainly pays off and just plays even further into how unique their sound is.
HOLD MY BEER is the next on the roster, immediately leaning towards the ska punk side of their sound, before swerving towards an upbeat metalcore sound for the chorus. It features a guitar solo in its second half, the lyrics in that last minute are incredibly catchy as well as a perfect two stepping beat, you can practically see how much a live crowd would lap up especially that last minute of the track. Karen’s Son opens with chanting of the name Karen which would be a great way to get a crowd involved at live shows. The song reminds us a lot of the famous Stacy's Mom by Fountain of Wayne but instead uses the track as a diss, a clever counterpart to the original. It really switches up the album with that 2000’s punk rock vibe.
The Sniffing Cats Ska is up next and is very much a signature track for SIM, it has everything that makes the band who they are. With its outlandish lyrics, combinations of ska, metal and punk and even large brass sections throughout the song, it’s upbeat and catchy. The brass sections are brought in collaboration with HEY-SMITH, another Japanese punk band that famously features these arrangements of trumpets in their tracks. The title track HOOMAN AFTER ALL comes half way through the album and is another signature track for SIM. It leans more towards the ska genre with smaller metal elements added into the chorus. The track and its lyrics are extremely catchy, the band chose right in making this the title of the album, you're certain to have this song crawl its way into your ears by just reading the title after listening to it.
GHOST iN TOKYO opens with a public transport announcement which it then cleverly refers to through the song. The track is very jumpy with a chanting chorus, another really catchy moment in the album. This is one of our stand out tracks of the album, a song that keeps all the elements SIM love to add to their music but the sound feels less chaotic. It's definitely a track that can help introduce an individual to the band rather than throwing them in the deep end. Next on the album is ZiON which features Masato from COLDRAIN, another iconic Japanese metal band. Masato is their vocalist and adds some really powerful and soulful vocals to accompany lead vocalist MAH’s loud and mighty vocals bringing a great blend.
BLACK SUBMARINE opens with those signature syncopated beats before MAH comes in with his first full rap in the album. The track has that classic hip-hop beat while having nu-metal guitars, this might be the track that crushes the most genres into one. But once again SIM make it work flawlessly, even having a metalcore breakdown with an upbeat punk chorus its blends seamlessly.
FREEZE ME UP was the last prereleased track before the album's full release and is featured as an opening credits song for the new gen anime BLACK TORCH. With the huge success of The Rumbling and its millions of streams FREEZE ME UP has also opened a gateway to those that may not be into the metal scene to hear SIMs unique sound. Closing out the album is Sailing On, ending the record with an upbeat and slightly more laid back vibe. The song encapsulates a sound of hope, its lyrics encouraging you to be unapologetically yourself and “keep sailing on”. It still contains those metal elements and screams but overall brings back that 2000s punk sound.
The album is loud, chaotic and full of ear worms, all in the best way. SIM are a band that are no stranger to bending the rules of what a metal band can be and this record just proves that even more. The production is flawless and the album is sure to be well received not just by domestic fans, but also those across the globe like us. The band are set to play a huge Europe tour in 2027 including multiple UK dates so if you like the sound of the album, they are definitely a great band to catch live!
Score: 8/10
Hooman After All will be released on 2nd September 2026 via UNFD.
Words: Amy Smyth
Photos: Kohei Suzuki
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