 |
Comment on this review! |
Notes: - Promotional copy provided by label is of a Low Quality and is being reviewed as such. Please take into account when considering purchasing this album. Links: - Band Logo - Google Video Search - Official Myspace - Relapse Records Review information: - Release length: 42:11 - Review posted on April 10th, 2010 |
|||||||
|
|||||||||
|
Review
After much praise for the band's independently release debut self-titled EP back in 2008, the Sludge/Stoner act Howl has signed with Relapse Records to put out their debut full-length effort, Full of Hell. However, the material on Full Of Hell is not really the most exciting Sludge and Stoner music recorded. While the music itself happens to be heavy and often punishing, there's nothing here to really make this release stand out from the many other acts. There's also times that there is nothing to really establish the tracks as new songs against previous tracks on the release. Full Of Hell winds up starting off a bit rocky. While the music itself is very heavy, there's nothing too exciting or fresh about it. The music on this release moves along at a mid-tempo pace, sometimes getting a little faster, or in the case of "Heavenless", can even sound a bit off tempo through the drumming if you pay close attention to what is being played. The starting tracks "Horns of Steel" and "You Jackals Beware", both of which move at a somewhat slower pace and are entertaining, but really won't have much of a lasting effect on the listener and actually sound a bit similar to each other, but not enough that it will ruin the experience for you right from the start. Another thing you will notice on this release is the repetition and recycling of riffs. "Heavenless" is easily one of the better tracks on the release, which utilizes a nice fading in drum solo that fans of the style may actually sit back and hear similarities to the track "Devilution" by High On Fire. However, it also winds up using the guitar chords you already heard in the track "Gods In Broken Men". If that's not bad enough, many of the songs seem to be structured the same way with either similar or very slightly altered guitars that, in the end, will cause you to become a little exhausted, even though a good majority of the material at the end of Full Of Hell is what you'll really enjoy. While the openers "Horns of Steel" and "Jezebel" make for some hard hitting solid Metal, it's the latter tracks that seem to really find the band at full speed with "Heavenless" being a well crafted intense ride, and "The Scorpion's Last Sting" a well composed track that falls just short of ten minutes that does get repetative now and again, but still has enough driving riffs and hard hitting drumming to keep you listening. There are two other tracks on here worth mentioning as well. "Asherah" and "Jezebel" are both strong tracks as well, though, again, not too impressive. The main reason that these are worth taking notice of is due to the fact that "Asherah" acts as an introductory track to "Jezebel", bleeding right into it after setting a nice tone for the track that the listener will enjoy moreso then some of the other tracks that just come right at you. It's also a shame that these songs had come in later on in the album, as the material on these two would have made a perfect introduction piece moreso then the starting track "Horns of Steel" since "Asherah" really does a better job at setting not only the tone of the song, but also for the whole album. While on the subject of wrongly placed tracks, "Heavenless" is another track that fell prey to this issue. Had this song been placed as the closing song of the album, due to the energy the song possesses, as well as the fade in drum solo, it would have surely made a nicely suited ending for the album, leaving the listener with a much needed smile and feeling of closure that "The Day of Rest" simply does not provide. It's clear that Howl do have a good deal of talent, however, Full Of Hell is not quite the best representation of it. While the music itself is solid and crushing, there's just nothing too much that stands out about it, ultimately leaving the listener feeling a little drained and waiting for the release to just end. Perhaps this feeling won't hit you on the first run, but it will over a short period of time, leaving this release as a promise of great musicianship that simply didn't deliver. Full Of Hell still has material that is worth checking out, regardless of how must dust this release will collect in the future, so at least sample this one before simply passing up on it. You may be pleasantly surprised at what potential lies hidden on some of these tracks. |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
