Release Date: March 22nd 2024. Record Label: Blues Funeral Recordings. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
No Return - Tracklisting
1.Rip Wizard
2.Cough It Up
3.Carcinogen
4.Dead Cloud
5.Hex
6.Lung Ruiner
7.Dweller
8.Marsquake
9.Blast Off
Review
No Return is the debut album from Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metallers Hashtronaut who explore similar Spaced Out territories to bands such as SLEEP, Bongzilla, Weedeater and Monolord. The record has its own distinctive WEEDIAN flavour for a debut album with Hashtronaut employing some very cool humour within their lyrics that are delivered by mixture of sublime different vocal styles.
The songs contained within No Return can be quite epic in scope within the more lengthier compositions on tracks such as Carcinogen, Dead Cloud and Dweller where Hashtronuat have more time and space to play about with. The Psychedelic and Spaced Out movements are continuously changing with the mood or melody of the album though there’s a classic FUZZ ROCK sound being heard within the production techniques throughout the album. Shades of BONGZILLA and SLEEP downtuned heaviness is matched against Monolord’s level of COSMIC DOOM with the album still allowing Hashtronaut to stand their own creative ground.
The album flows superbly well with each of the tracks leading into each other perfectly especially within the first few tracks of Rip Wizard, Cough It Up and Carcinogen being considered as one lengthy track broken down into individual chapters. The overall sound crackles with VINTAGE sludgy grooves and modern day Psychedelic Stoner Metal grittiness which sees Hashtronaut play a muscular style of music with that essential SABBATHIAN dynamic power also adding a filthy and seedy attitude to the more extended and progressive instrumental jams the album contains.
Truth be told, No Return has no right to be this great especially for a debut release. Hashtronaut have delivered perhaps the almost perfect WEEDIAN debut album of the year next to KALGON’s upcoming debut album. The whole story of the album is outlandish, superbly realised and all told through the power of music. With first rate production values allowing the album to have an incredible presence from start to finish.
Hashtronaut are perhaps at the start of a wholly new exciting chapter for themselves to explore within the global Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal scene. No Return is the type of album that could be considered a landmark release within the years to come and that’s the real beauty and power of this amazing record.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.
No Return will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Blues Funeral Recordings from Friday 22nd March 2024.
Links
Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram
