Debut EP from Agartha, a band that plays an epic brand of heavy metal with some clear links to '70s hard rock and the early NWOBHM. It is a clear indication of the quality of the material that The Hidden was picked up by No Remorse Records. There is galloping songwriting, an atmospheric production that gives the vocals that sense of wide-open space and simple, direct riffing that altogether make the songs easy to get into. On the other hand, the guitar sound is not as powerful as I would have liked and the vocals, which aren't bad, are limited. It feels like everything on The Hidden could have been dialed up a bit and the whole thing could have hit harder yet kept the atmospheric vibe. That said, I really like where Agartha are going, a sound akin to Manowar tempered with Solstice, so The Hidden is a solid first effort and I will be watching this band in the future.