Thursday 23 January 2014

Henry Blacker - Hungry Dogs Will Eat Dirty Puddings - Album Review


Henry Blacker
Hungry Dogs Will Eat Dirty Puddings

Riot Season
February 3rd 2014

The Band Is:

t (bass)
rf (drums)
tf (guitar & voice)

The Songs:

A1. Crab House (3:32)
A2. Pullin’ Like A Dray (3:50)
A3. Your Birthday Has Come And Gone (4:06)
A4. My Majesty (3:11)
B1. Scumblood (2:47)
B2. Pearlie (5:43)
B3. A Bone & A Thistle (3:06)
B4. Temple Controls (3:40)

Band Bio:

"HENRY BLACKER are a rock band, a three piece, two from the group HEY COLOSSUS and a brother on the drums. These are the times they thought, let’s: WHOOP AND A HOLLER. Recorded August 2013 for £450 by Westminster Brown (Tim Cedar, Part Chimp) at the legendary Dropout studios, South London whilst a man from Torche watched on."

Album Review

So Riot Season have released another crazy insane band from a very original band indeed. They impressed the hell out of me in 2013 with records by Bad Guys, Mainliner and Dethscalator. Now those crazy bastards are back in 2014 releasing a debut album from another bunch of crazier bastards by the name of Henry Blacker.

Featuring two members from Hey Colossus in their ranks. This is very far removed from that great band as Henry Blacker deals in hard-rocking Sludge/Stoner/Blues/Boogie Rock riffs from the past 30 years. Do you miss the brilliant and earlier days of Queens Of The Stone Age when they used to write great songs packed with awesome riffs you could rock out to.

Well folks you can rejoice as Henry Blacker are here to save the fucking day with their excellent new album - Hungry Dogs Will Eat Dirty Puddings. A 30 minute blast of finely tuned fast-paced riffs that will have you rocking out from the very first second.

First track - Crab House - is the perfect introduction to these great rockers as it shows what their music is all about. Sludge/Stoner Rock played through a 70's Boogie/Hard Rock Blender. Imagine ZZ-Top jamming with QOTSA and that should give you the impression on what to expect. Though the album definitely has it's own identity and unique charm of it's own.

Second Track - Pullin' Like A Day - embraces the legendary Desert Rock Scene with a groove laiden dirty Sludge Rock vibe that gives this track a dark delicious edge. The vocals have a delightful menace to them as TF plays a dual character here. Law-Abiding Citizen one moment and demented madman the next. He can be all nice and polite but wait until the very end when he becomes a different person altogether. Awesome stuff.

Third Track - Your Birthday Has Come and Gone - is my fave track on the album as it's a completely fucked-up rock song embracing the albums more dangerous edge. Sludge Rock, Hard Rock and Stoner Rock combine to show these guys are definitely in a league of their own. Play this track at full blast and embrace the darkness lurking through those Dirty Puddings!!!

Henry Blacker keep up this crazy style of fuzz drenched dirty riffs that even pays homage to bands such as Harvey Milk, The Melvins, Pixies and Kyuss. And it's still so god-damn original. Henry Blacker have delivered more riffs in 30 mins than some bands won't be able to produce in their entire career.

I loved every minute of this album. It's a fucking blast from start to finish. The albums later tracks such as Scumblood and Temple Controls shows why the UK Sludge/Stoner Rock scene is thriving at the moment. It's thanks to great bands such as Henry Blacker that I want to hear more albums like this. And hopefully Andy at Riot Season Records will continue releasing brilliant albums like this.

This album is a riot. It's going to win a huge following within the Sludge/Stoner Rock scene.

Brilliant. No Question.

Thanks to Andy at Riot Season Records for sending ourselves a promo to review. Hungry Dogs Will Eat Dirty Puddings will be released on Feb 3rd 2014 on CD, DD and Limited Edition Vinyl LP (500 Copies, co release with Learning Curve Records (USA) with each label getting half the pressing)

Check The Band From Links Below