Release
date: August
10th
2018. Label: Aqualamb Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
By
The Grace Of Blood And Guts –
Tracklisting
1.Thy
Tongues 03:56
2.Hyena
Moan 03:05
3.It
Smells Like Gas 02:01
4.Zero
Day 07:02
5.The
Woke 04:41
6.Hangdog
04:06
7.Diminuendo
03:02
8.Funeral
Song 05:52
Members
Chuck
Berrett: Vocals
Jordan
Melkin: Guitar
Dave
Maffei: Bass & Percussion
Chris
Enriquez: Drums & Percussion
Review
HAAN's
debut album may have an album cover and title influenced by legendary
Sludge/Post-Metal collective - Neurosis - however that's where the
comparisons end. Well not quite you can definitely hear a distinctive
Neurosis vibe but also The Melvins and QOTSA. By The Grace Of Blood And Guts is a mixture of Sludge, Noise Rock, Alternative Metal,
Grunge and Stoner Metal sounds. The album is quite an intense
experience and that's mostly down to the fast-paced Noise Rock riffs
holding everything together.
Opening
track - Thy Tongues - is a Noise/Punk/Sludge Rock affair with HAAN
exploring every musical genres and influences they have at their
disposal. The song is loud, frantic and has a hard-rocking Stoner
based vibe that's undeniably heavy and so catchy as well. It's a
winning start to a very different sounding album.
Second
song - Hyena Moan - has the threatening humour and energy of early
era QOTSA and HAAN just run away with this vibe by playing heavy
crunching guitars with superb vocals to match. This song shows that
HAAN are not afraid to experiment and play around with their sound.
The songs running times vary in length as most of the songs run under
four minutes or so. However HAAN have included a couple of songs that
run past the six to seven minutes mark.
The
QOTSA/Melvins vibe really comes out to play on the excellent third
song - It Smells Like Gas. HAAN throw a curve ball here by playing a
thrashier sound though still remaining to their Sludge/Stoner/Noise
Rock roots.
The
fourth song - Zero Day - is the longest song on the album and it
shows. As HAAN play a more progressive post-metallic style of music.
The music is very crisp but still retaining a very loud presence that
only draws you further into HAAN's dark world. Other cool songs on
the album to check out include: The Woke, Diminuendo and Funeral
Song. Though the album feels like one continuous song split into
individual chapters.
The
instrumental work is most definitely the strongest part of the album
with the lyrics being a close second. The vocals from Chuck
are
superb as well. I feel that the music and lyrics is what gives HAAN
their edgy and highly confident attitude.
The
second half of the album even manages to capture a darker sound that
you would associate with Kowloon Walled City especially with the dark
political themes going on especially on the song: The Woke. Overall,
HAAN take you on a dark musical journey on this album and you can
only hope that there is more to come from this great band.
Excellent
and Highly Recommended.
Words
by Steve Howe
