Release
date: January 08th
2016. Label: DNAWOT Records. Format: DD/Vinyl
Fear
Of Man – Tracklisting
Fear
of Man
Kingdom
O
Rainbow
Dust
Trauma
Yauma
Low
Metal
Detector Man
White
Lion
Beaten
At Your Own Game
Wrong
Bar
Band
Members:
Tom
– Drums
Robin
- Bass
Ian
– Vox/Guitar.
Review:
Has
it been 5½ years since HAG released their S/T debut EP. Damn, it is.
Well better late than never as HAG return finally with their debut
album – Fear Of Man. A sprawling Psychedelic Punk/Sludge/Noise Rock
odyssey with HAG proving they have something different about them.
Though Fear Of Man won't be to everyone's tastes as HAG will
frustrate and delight you in equal measure.
Opening
track – Fear Of Man – is a noise rock driven number packed with a
hypnotic Sludge Rock groove that will appeal to fans of Harvey Milk
and Torche. It's a very down-tuned affair with Ian's vocals adding a
gruff exterior to give HAG's sound a gritty lo-fi edge. It's a great
song to open the album with but do go expecting the same sort of
songs all the way through as HAG wisely change the mood from time to
time.
Second
track – Kingdom O – is a fast-paced distorted Punk/Sludge Rock
kind of affair with the guitars slightly out of key matched with
Tom's superb frantic drumming. Ian's vocals are quite different to
the opening song as HAG blend different noises and rhythms for a song
that feels out of control and pissed off from the start.
Third
track – Rainbow Dust – is where HAG start to expand their sound
as they unleash some trippy psych based noisy riffs. I can hear
shades of early Soundgarden mixed with Kowloon Walled City noisy
gloomy atmospherics on this song. Though it's the vocals that make
this song one of the standout tracks as Ian's vocals have a certain
grunge vibe to them.
Fourth
Track – Trauma Yauma – is a song that promises so much but
delivers very little. HAG create a few exciting riffs here and there
but the song doesn't deliver on it's early promises. I really want to
like this but this one bored me slightly. The riffs and vocals don't
really come together on this song. Maybe it would have been better if
the band left this song off the album.
That's
my only complaint on this otherwise excellent album.
Fifth
Track – Low – sees HAG return to the albums earlier Punk/Sludge
Rock driven sounds that is pure ROCK AND ROLL. The lyrics have a
rebellious feel to them which is what you would expect from a band
like HAG. The psych noises deliver some thrilling moments to rock out
to.
Sixth
Track – Metal Detector Man – is perhaps the albums finest track
as HAG delve further into their Punk/Sludge Rock psyche with the band
taking their time delivering some blistering fast-paced riffs. This
is perhaps the loudest the song on the album as HAG go all out in
creating heavy sludgy riffs to lose yourself in.
The
final 3 songs – White Lion, Beaten At Your Own Game and Wrong Bar –
offer more of the same down-tuned Punk/Sludge Rock fury that you will
find almost impossible to resist. Ian's vocals are impressive yet
again though it's the riffs that hold your attention. The final song
– Wrong Bar – is perhaps the song that has the potential to
become HAG's trademark anthem as it's a brooding, heavy and
psychedelic sludgy noise rock opus that will leave you in a hypnotic
spell.
Fear
Of Man is an exciting and superb debut album from HAG. We will be
hearing a lot more from these guys over the next 12 months or so as
the album will appeal to a wide majority of Sludge/Noise Rock fans.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Richard at Sheltered Life PR for the promo. Fear Of Man will be
available to buy on DD/Vinyl from DNAWOT Records on January 08th
2015.
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