Hang The Bastard ‘Sex In The Seventh Circle’ CD/LP/DD 2014
“We are called Hang The Bastard I have no delusions of grandeur.” That’s what vocalist Tomas Hubbard told me in 2013, almost exactly a year ago about his band that just released a new 7″. One year further, Hang The Bastard is still the odd one out, but that’s exactly why they get to play the cool shows with anything from Entombed A.D. to Valient Thorr and Nails to the Cancer Bats. Everything works.
The secret of Hang The Bastard is without a doubt their strange but compelling combination of Black Sabbath heavy and slow, with hardcore aesthetics and stage energy. Not taking yourself too serious definitely helps as well, though the music these Britons take deadly serious.
Big riffs form the backbone to Keeping Vigil, some catchy parts reminds you of Kvelertak, while the vocals seem to come from the bubbling pit of some goregrind band. The pace is firm and calm, music to bang your head to for sure. The vocals are mildly off putting in my opinion, not really connecting with that big sound, which rarely intensifies. A bit more tolerable is the mix on the sludge sound of Morrs Tempest. The middle road is found on the next song. Hornfell combines the riffing with a heavy NOLA sound.
After a creepy intermission, titled The Lesser Key, the heavy returns with The Majestic Gathering Of Goetia. A slow but heavy riff is what this song really is. It is homage to the great and lost art of creating monstrous riffs, demonstrating their own skill in its full majesty. Something totally different we hear on Mists Of Albion. A weary, mournful track that reminds me a little of some Opeth songs. The lyrics are repetitive and amplified by the cold echo surrounding them. The atmosphere of the song is languid like an Earth track. Slowly flowing forward, the song offers a welcome break before we launch into the barrage of the title track. A wall of guitars is presented, but with a melodic and grand touch to it.
From there on, the band marches on with tracks like (Reprised) and Absorption. Crushing riffs, guttural vocals and massive strength are the words to describe these tracks. The groove on these tracks is full of soul and warmth. A hardcore flavor is detectable in these tracks however, it is as if the break is slipping off, finally giving way to the aggressive sound of Beyond The Pale. Gritty, distorted and fierce the song seems to connect with the vocals much more. The drums give a much more upbeat sound. When listening to this song, which in my opinion stands out among the rest on this record, one feels a burning frustration. The urge to burst into violent screams and a hectic rhythm. On the border between letting go and control is where this band finds its balance.
The tension is kept up in Sweet Mother, where the song sounds as if it might break out in a violent surge any moment. That is a consistent element of their sound, never fully giving it all away in their songs, creating a constant tension between the elements of their sound, but also towards the Listener. You feel you can’t sit still with this band, waiting for whatever they are going to do next.
The dark sound of Hang The Bastard both makes them intriguing and very hard to categorize. Apart from that, it also makes them one of the most intriguing bands of the moment and worthy of your attention.
Label: Century Media
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Scribed by: Guido Segers
