Album Type: Album
Date Released:
March 30th 2014
Label: Lay
Bare Recordings/Fallodischi
Hēn track
listing:
1.Naas
2.Hierophania
3.Eris
4.The Path
5.Hēn
6 Vitriol – CD
Bonus Track Only
The
Band Members
Lorenzo:
Guitars, Vocals
Emanuele:
Bass, Effects
Dario:
Drums
Review:
NAGA
is a Blackened Sludge/Doom Metal band from Italy who impressed the
hell out of me in March 2013 when I reviewed their excellent debut
S/T EP. It received a whole load of praise from the Doom/Sludge Metal
community.
Well
12 months later NAGA are back with their breathtaking debut album Hēn
– a stunning 54 minute sprawling odyssey unleashing vast amounts of
Blackened Sludge/Doom Metal riffs that will simply blow you away.
First track – Naas – is a 13:14 minute epic that feels like a
trippy nightmare come to life as NAGA unleash a brutal blend of riffs
that harks back to the earlier Sludge/Post-Metal days of Neurosis.
Lorenzo pours his heart and soul into this track it's equally
passionate and disturbing at the same time. You can feel Lorenzo's
pain and torment blended in with the hard-edged riffs that gives NAGA
a very nightmarish and addictive style of their own.
Second
track – Hierophania – starts with a satanic like prayer being
spoken in Italian which quickly unsettles the atmosphere before NAGA
start laying down some dangerous Blackened Sludge riffs for you to
try and escape from. The song has a chilling down-tempo vibe which
NAGA perfectly explore to their advantage. Perfect music if you're
worshipping Satan on those cold nights. NAGA start adding fast-paced
riffs to the album and it gives the album a more defined sense of
added menace. If you're expecting some uplifting post-rock passages
then you better look elsewhere as NAGA stay in the darkness and it
ain't a pretty sight. NAGA thrive on the torment and misery of their
music and it makes Hēn such an unforgiving and unsettling
experience.
Third
Track – Eris – is another epic dark journey to consume your soul
with. 12 minutes of sublime down-tempo Sludge Metal vibes that show
NAGA bringing more misery to the world. But there is a beautiful
addictive nature to it as NAGA unleash some brilliant riffs to
confound the horrors of their music. It may be depressing at times
but you can't deny the band have something special here. Eris sees
Lorenzo unleashing his demonic fury once again and it ain't a pretty
sight. This track has a slight YOB vibe to it. Though it's still has
a sound and identity all of it's own especially when the guys start
adding Psychedelic sonic riffs which I didn't expect at all.
NAGA
have really outdone themselves here and this album has came something
a a surprise. I expected it to be good but I didn't expect it to be
such a mind-blowing experience. As it really fucking is. The album is
a dark brooding masterpiece that you will need to listen to over and
over again to fully understand the whole album.
The
album has two final epic tracks will leave you begging for more. The
Path and Hen which accounts for the albums final 22 minutes running
time. The Path was included on their debut EP from last year but this
version sounds so much better. It's more deeper and the atmospherics
are just to die for. 10 minutes that will have you coming back for
more punishment.
Though
it's the final track – Hēn – which is the albums stand-out
track. Blackened Sludge/Doom Metal on a grand scale. NAGA throw
everything into mix on this album to draw the album to a brilliant
close. Psychedelic riffs combine with the earlier menacing and
pulsating Blackened Sludge/Doom Metal riffs for one final journey
into the dark world that NAGA have created. Lorenzo once again on
fine form with his vocals adding a terrifying sense of danger to
proceedings. This is a gut-wrenching track to listen to. Play this
track as loud as you possibly can to get the full effect. Trust me
when I say this track is one hell of an emotional ride.
The
CD Version of the album has one extra track – Vitriol – to scare
the hell out of you once more. It's from their debut EP released in
2013. But it's still a powerful track that will give you nightmares
for life.
Hēn
is a brilliant debut album from NAGA that is going to end up on a few
Album Of The Year Lists including mine. A truly stunning and defining
album that NAGA should be proud of. Just buy this when the album is
released on March 30th
2014.
Simply
Incredible.
Thanks
to Désirée Hanssen from Lay Bare Recordings for sending me a promo to
review. Hēn will be available to buy on Vinyl from Lay BareRecordings and CD on Fallodischi from March 30th
2014.
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Written
by Steve Howe
