By: Richard Maw
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 31/10/2018
Label: APF Records
“Solitude and Savagery” deserves serious attention
and is undoubtedly one of the breakout releases of this year
“Solitude
and Savagery” CD//DD track listing:
1. Enter the Hermitage
2. Black Mass
3. No Sleep
4. Beyond the Wall
5. Lifebreather
6. Reawaken
7. Laniakea
The Review:
Barbarian
Hermit
hail from Manchester
and play crushing stoner/sludge/doom. This is a band that is not afraid to play
aggressively- like High on Fire- but also slow; like any doom
band worth their salt you can name. The opener, “Enter The Hermitage,” sets it out for you. Straight in, no messing
about, just some huge and fuzzy riffs with some maniac (Ed Campbell- who
showcases serious versatility elsewhere!) shouting over the top.
There
is plenty of variety here, too. There are passages of more thoughtful and
melancholy music, both in the first and second track and beyond. There is quite
some range on display. Suffice it to say, that by track two (“Black Mass”) I was absolutely sold on
this album. This is what is needed in the underground and beyond at the moment-
a band sounding not like anyone else, but featuring the best elements of quite
a few bands. There is something here for fans of many different bands and sub
genres. You like Orange Goblin? Try these guys out. You like High on Fire,
ditto. In fact, from Sabbath to The Sword and from Conan
to Candlemass:
Barbarian
Hermit may just appeal to fans of all those bands.
There
are shades of the likes of Raging Speedhorn and The Rotted in “No Sleep” (and Motorhead, of course) while the
epic might of “Beyond The Wall” is
crushingly powerful with a fantastic solo. Nothing outstays its welcome here;
there are no short songs and most tracks stretch out over six minutes plus (the
closing “Laniaka” is eleven epic
minutes!) but it all feels like it flies by at a clip. The band's approach
makes this happen; each track is different and brings a slightly different
approach, while remaining consistent in vibe and feel. It's no small trick to
pull off but the band achieve it with ease. This is a proper album and I think
one that might become very influential going forward.
This
is not simple two chord/two piece sludge and nor is it just Sleep
worship or a cheap copy of any other band. The production, courtesy of the
effervescent Chris Fielding at Skyhammer studio is immense and as usual Chris
has achieved a crushing drum, guitar and bass sound. The clarity of the mix and
the sheer weight adds a good deal of muscle to the album and, having worked
with Chris myself, I can hear his audio-stamp of authenticity throughout the
record.
The
album is just as weighty down the stretch- “Reawaken” features a riff that Iommi would be proud of and some
guitar work that Mastodon might find a home for on any of their better work.
“Life Breather” before it is versatile
and deft in its mood swings. The aforementioned “Laniaka” is eleven minutes of schizophrenic and groovesome riffage.
It's a tour de force ending to one of the best albums I have heard in 2018.
Barbarian
Hermit
have it; that intangible factor that makes this album like lightning in a
bottle. “Solitude and Savagery” deserves serious attention and is
undoubtedly one of the breakout releases of this year. These guys could really
fly the flag for the UK
underground and reach the heights of Conan; as a singular band operating in a
field of one. They'll spawn imitators, sure, but I know the real deal when I
hear it. Superb.
“Solitude
and Savagery” is available HERE
