Hull ‘Viking Funeral’ CDEP 2010
Some of you may remember how massively impressed I was by Hull’s ‘Sole Lord’ album, if not I suggest you go back and read the review here, like, NOW!
Those of you who did read it may be happy to learn that Hull’s ‘people’ were pretty darned chuffed with the write-up I gave ’em, so they sent The Shaman a copy of this here debut EP by Hull for us to review, which was frightfully nice of ’em.
What we have here is, rather than a few awesome tracks offering us a taste of the potential awesomeness of Hull, one EPIC track showcasing the UNDENIABLE awesomeness of Hull. One near-seventeen-minute track that runs near enough the full gamut of sonic weapons within the formidable arsenal of Hull.
Piling straight in with a gnarled, crusty riff and dry, throaty bellowing, Hull waste no time in laying waste to all before them. Think a filthy, nasty version of Mastodon’s ‘The Wolf Is Loose’ and you’d be on the right track. The sound is so propulsive and go-for-the-throat in feel that it is pretty much impossible not to bang your head to. The first of many changes in mood and velocity throws up a section that has an undertow that is heavy as hell, embellished by an achingly epic cluster of guitars. The vocals, by this point, are bestial as we lurch into a Neurosis-esque lurching riff and then out again to allow for space to open up and a stratospheric solo to appear. Another HUGE riff takes us into a crawling Isis/Melvins-style section that soon drops out into an abyss of tranquil delayed psychedelia and understated guitars.
Less than halfway through and we’ve already had more raw material batted around than some bands squeeze into a full-length album. Seriously.
A rhythm begins to build and twinned guitars snake around each other as Hull lock in, before the bottom drops out into a black hole of sound and snaking guitar. From out of this a massive groove reminiscent of Floridian sludgesters Floor gets underway and howling vocals shout out. This in turn shifts into an almost melodic hardcore riff that in itself mutates into a twisting Southern-style groove riff that just flat-out ROCKS. That lurching Neurosis feel comes into play again, followed swiftly by the Isis/Melvins crawl grinding away into fade….which then builds again into a crescendo…aaaaaand…BANG. We’re done. Spent.
Seriously. A THRILLING ride.
As far as I know, this is only available as a download direct from Hull themselves, you can also stream it at Decibel Magazine here so seek it out and dig it.
Right, when’s the NEXT album due then guys?
Label: Self Released
Website: www.myspace.com/hull
Scribed by: Paul Robertson
