Release Date: October 27th 2023. Record Label: Magnetic Eye Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Glass Future - Tracklisting
Hourglass
Siren Song
Aluminium Crown
Hawk In A Hurricane
First Blood Of Melchor
Glass Future
Tempest and The Liar's Gateway
Sunken City
Juggernaut
There's Time Now
Members
Tom Polzine - Guitar/Vocals
Zach Wheeler - Drums/Vocals
Sebastian Baltes - Bass/Vocals
Review
Psych Stoner Metallers Howling Giant return with their new album Glass Future that sees the band easily avoid the "sophomore slump" with absolute ease. This album continues the great work they delivered with their acclaimed debut album, split album with Sergeant Thunderhoof and their 2021 EP Alteration. Glass Future has a "conceptual" vision without ever being a Concept Album. As Howling Giant merge Science Fiction, Fantasy and even themes of Horror for the creative narrative of Glass Future.
The music is gloriously uplifting with Howling Giant's sublime flare for Psychedelic Doom and Spaced Out Stoner Metal with a twinge of Blues Rock appearing with some killer Organs, Piano and Synths being added to certain parts of the album. Howling Giant plays a faster style of music with an outlandish aggressive sound when the more gloomier aspects of the album starts to appear. The vocals are always beautifully melodic with a sweet-natured voice even when Howling Giant captures a more Apocalyptic groove to the whole record.
Each song paints a picture of a thousand words moving onto the next exciting chapter within a story that's never really set in stone but it works wonders for Howling Giant. As they can concentrate on playing stunning grooves that would make bands such as ELDER and King Buffalo blush with creative jealousy. The Post-Rock attitude of the music is quite captivating even when playing against the slightly Spaced Out Blues Rock theatrics that gives the album a more realistic vision.
Glass Future has subtle hints of 1970's Prog Rock textures without Howling Giant becoming overblown or overstepping the mark by playing too many different styles of music at the same time. There's riffs galore with each band member getting the same amount of attention to showcase what they can do on the later stages of the album.
Howling Giant adds some thrilling soundbytes throughout the record which can be downright heartbreaking with an emotionally charged insight that left me thinking more about the whole story within Glass Future especially when the gloomiest soundbytes appear.
Standout tracks on the album for myself are: Siren Song, Aluminium Crown, Hawk In A Hurricane, First Blood Of Melchor, Glass Future, Juggernaut and There's Time Now. These tracks are perhaps the most interesting and innovative ideas laid out on the album that allows Howling Giant to play some truly original Stoner grooves of their own with even moments of punishing Sludgy based Doom Metal appearing.
Glass Future is a cinematic tour-de-force from Howling Giant with stunning production values to match. Howling Giant may have unlocked the gates for their career to move onto the next level within the Doom/Stoner Metal scene that ELDER, King Buffalo and All Them Witches have achieved recently. This is another Album Of The Year Contender from Howling Giant who never disappoint but Glass Future is their most outstanding and impressive release to date. Awesome. End Of.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to All Noir PR and Magnetic Eye Records for the promo.
Glass Future will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Magnetic Eye Records from October 27th 2023.
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