Review: Hussar ‘All-Consuming Hunger’
I, Voidhanger Records always brings the heaviest bands onto its roster, usually those bands are ‘obscure, unique, and uncompromising visions from the metal underground.’ Now, one of those heavy and uncompromising bands, Canada’s Hussar, will be releasing All-Consuming Hunger on September 30th.
Hussar isn’t your average death metal outfit, making their debut album one of the more interesting records to come crawling out from the underground. With songs ranging from five to almost nine minutes in length, Hussar has a lot of room to tweak the death metal formula, and they do so by adding progressive riffs, mellow interludes, and a rhythm section that can go from sounding like a charging barbarian horde to subdued and mellow in the blink of an eye. It seems as if Canada’s metal acts have a proclivity towards black metal, with Woods Of Ypres being the first and foremost example, and Hussar puts their own spin on that tried and true formula as well.
The album begins with Ritualistic Castration Of The Feeble-Minded Cowards, a track that employs elements from several genres, effortlessly gliding between them to create a cohesive vibe that will also devastate your eardrums. The dynamics created by switching things up in this way is incredible, helping to make this the best track on the album.
sounding like a charging barbarian horde to subdued and mellow in the blink of an eye…
Hussar tells stories of war with their lyrics, denouncing its inhumanity, as well as the sacrifice of soldiers sent to their deaths by those in power. This is never more evident than it is on Blind Charge Into Gunfire, which is the story of a soldier’s life set to blistering heaviness that is offset by more progressive leanings. Just this one verse tells you all you need to know about Hussar‘s distaste with wartime leaders, their decisions, and how the soldiers facing death feel about their plight…
‘Land of no man, Toxic ground, Forward we go, Such a waste, How could they think this would work? We do as they plead, Our fate in their claws.’
That sentiment continues with Dissonant Weeping Of A Thousand Widows, but this time it’s centered around the consequences that those left behind must deal with. From losing fathers, sons, uncles, and brothers to the brutality of the machines of war, to the fact that they are ‘nothing but mere pawns’ on the chessboards of their political leaders.
The music is still rooted in the same type of crushing power that Blind Charge Into Gunfire used, yet also utilizes a mellow section that completely compliments the heavy aspects used before and after it.
Hussar‘s All-Consuming Hunger has successfully utilized influences from assorted genres, remaining interesting while not being overpowered by them, making their debut stronger than some bands who are at the ‘professional’ level of the industry. Between this and the upcoming De Profundis album, death metal has never sounded so promising!!
Label: I, Voidhanger Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp
Scribed by: Tom Hanno
