(Andy Synn presents three more prime cuts of British beef for you to gorge yourselves on)
What’s that? Another “Best of British”? The second in as many weeks?
That’s right, and I’ve even got my next one in the works already (though that won’t be until next month).
And, hey, you might even see some more music from yours truly out before then as well, which will hopefully also add to this year’s bumper crop of killer British bands.
Until then, however, let’s see what the new album from Heriot, Lowen, and Sugar Horse (all out now) have to offer, shall we?
HERIOT – DEVOURED BY THE MOUTH OF HELL
I originally planned to start this review by stating that the highly-anticipated release of Devoured by the Mouth of Hell (out now on Century Media) was a “make-or-break” moment for Heriot.
But then I realised… the band have already received a bunch of major support slots, been featured on magazine covers (they’re currently on the front of both Kerrang and NME if I’m not mistaken) and received endorsements from many of the scene’s movers and shakers… let’s face it, they’ve already been anointed as “the next big thing”, and nothing I write here is going to help or hurt them in any way, but it might just be useful to certain potential listeners who still want to know whether all the hullabaloo and hyperbole preceding the release of the group’s highly-anticipated debut album was actually justified.
Now, to get my criticisms out of the way sooner rather than later – if only so I can focus on all the things I do actually like about this album – while there’s no doubt that Heriot can pen some stupidly (and stupendously) heavy riffs (both “Foul Void” and “Siege Lord” are absolutely monstrous) and has no issues when it comes to their visceral, venomous vocals (half hair-raising screams, half gut-wrenching growls) some of the other tracks, despite packing a significant punch, don’t leave much of a lasting impression, and it occasionally feels like the band simply run out of steam (or ideas) right as things are just starting to get good.
There are, however, some absolutely outstanding moments to be found here (some of which I’ve already mentioned), particularly when the band focus more on the more atmospheric (but still crushingly heavy) side of their sound, with the achingly vulnerable, industrial-tinged Post-Metal intensity of “Opaline” and the sludge-soaked, electronically-enhanced “Lashed” (which reminds me of the much-missed Leeched at their best) suggesting that the group’s future might just involve a little less chugging bludgeon and a lot more heart-wrenching catharsis.
So while I don’t think that Heriot have quite lived up to all the hype just yet – while some have praised them for their variety (not necessarily a bad thing by any means) to my ears the quartet are still a little “jack of all trades” to fully cohere as more than just the sum of their somewhat disparate parts (though ferocious final track “Mourn” suggests they’re getting closer and closer to perfecting the formula) – I can definitely say that there’s more than enough as-yet-unrealised potential (and still untapped power) resonating beneath the surface of Devoured by the Mouth of Hell to make me think that the best is… hopefully… still to come.
LOWEN – DO NOT GO TO WAR WITH THE DEMONS OF MAZANDARAN
On a scale of 1-“what the hell are you talking about?” how mad would you get if I suggested that the best way to listen to Lowen‘s new album is to start with track #2?
Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely a fair bit to like about actual album opener “Corruption on Earth” – the first few minutes in particular are an absolute blast – but it’s arguably a little too long for its own good and thus clearly the weakest track here (even if it’s more than capable of standing up to anything from the group’s debut).
But the fact is that Do Not Go to War With the Demons of Mazandaran – good advice, by the way – only really hits its stride with its bombastically bilingual title-track “Najang Bah Divhayeh Mazandaran”, but when it does… well, Lowen immediately go from a very good band you should probably tell your friends about… to a great band you need to tell everyone you know about yesterday.
It’s an incredible track, there’s no question about that, with the stunningly powerful, subtly proggy riffage and lucidly melodic leads of Shem Lucas locking into an even tighter, more grandiose, groove than ever before while vivacious vocalist Nina Saeidi continues to fuel speculation that she might actually be a witch… because her voice is nothing short of magic (indeed, there’s a point, just after the two minute mark, where she basically becomes untouchable).
It’s not the only great track on this album – which, I’d argue, is more of a “Progressive Metal” record than a “Progressive Doom” one (though “The Seed That Dreamed…” certainly brings a gloomier vibe to the proceedings), especially since the impressively hefty riffs and punchy rhythmic hooks which underpin the likes of the equally outstanding “Waging War Against God” and the massive “May Your Ghost Drink Pure Water” share more in common with the likes of Communic and Sanctuary (albeit with less of a techy/thrashy edge) to my ears – however, as the rest of the record maintains an equally high (possibly even higher) standard.
It all culminates – far too soon if you ask me – in the epic (I promised myself I wouldn’t over-use that word, but it absolutely applies here) strains of “Ghazal for the Embrace of Fire”, which features some of the album’s most irresistibly infectious, smoothly shapeshifting guitar work (as well as an array of electrifying, ear-worm melodies) as well as some of Saeidi’s most spellbinding singing (including some truly stunning moments where she harmonises with herself like a one-woman choir of angels), and firmly, and finally, establishes (if there were any doubt still remaining) that Lowen are one of the brightest, most brilliant stars in the UK scene.
SUGAR HORSE – THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS
If you’re familiar with the work of Sugar Horse (possibly from my review of their debut album, or from their 2023 mini-epic, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico) then you probably think you know what to expect from their new album… but chances are you’d be wrong.
Whereas their previous work(s) featured a uniquely unorthodox amalgam of Sludge and Shoegaze, Drone and Doom, Post-, Prog, and Pop, on The Grand Scheme of Things they’ve elected to focus and finesse their sound even further, with the opening triptych of tracks in particular featuring a more defined (and more accessible, which isn’t a bad thing) blend of Alt. Pop and Post-Rock that sits somewhere between the likes of Oceansize and Biffy Clyro (with perhaps even a dash of early U2 to be found in their biggest, most stadium-friendly moments).
There are, of course, still flashes of their other influences to be found here and there – attention-grabbing early single “Spit Beach”, for example, marries poignant Post-Gaze passages with eruptions of bloody-knuckled, tooth-baring sludgery – but the push towards an even more expansive and expressive approach on the likes of the simmering, shimmering title-track, majestic early highlight “Corpsing”, and the dreamy “Jefferson Airplane Over the Sea” makes it clear where the band’s heart is these days.
The downside of re-jigging the balance like this is that occasionally some elements of the group’s musical mélange feel a little out of place this time around – although killer penultimate cut “Office Job Simulator” successfully marries atmosphere and aggression, hooks and heaviness, in a manner more reminiscent of the group’s first album, while still maintaining a sense of creative, cathartic growth – resulting in an album which feels less consistent than its predecessor, despite its attempts to tighten up the scope of the band’s sound.
Of course, the biggest test for the audience will be nearly twenty five minute closer “Space Tourist”, approximately twenty minutes of which is a mesmerising (or monotonous, depending on where you stand regarding such things) mix of Drone and Post Rock – think Explosions in the Sky as performed by Earth and remixed by Ulver, which will surely prove even more divisive than the rest of the record combined… but, then, you get the sense that Sugar Horse are fully aware of how The Grand Scheme of Things is going to provoke a variety of different reactions and responses… and that’s exactly how they like it!