By: Charlie Butler
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 24/08/2018
Label: Heavy Hound Records
“Desperation Finds Hunger In
All Men” takes the thrash infused sludge of last years “Blacklisted” record and blows it up on a
grand scale to deliver the Virginia quintet’s finest work to date.
“Desperation Finds Hunger In All Men” CD//DD track listing:
1).
No Sunrise on the Third
2).
Scorched
3).
Nature Knows No Kings
4).
At First I Didn’t Believe It
5).
La Fleur du Cobalt
6).
August 11, 2017
7).
Whispering Snakes
8).
Mutilation Rites
9).
Have A Look For Yourself
10).
This Lonesome Linger
The Review:
The
joyous news of the arrival of a new Lord album is tempered
by the fact it will be their last. “Desperation
Finds Hunger In All Men” takes the thrash infused sludge of last years “Blacklisted” record and blows it up on a
grand scale to deliver the Virginia quintet’s finest work to date.
It
is not certain whether or not this release was created knowing it was to be Lord’s swansong. Either way, it is brimming with a fearless
urgency and restless urge to experiment that feels born of a band determined to
go down swinging. “No Sunrise On The
Third” wastes no time in getting things moving with a rumbling Soundgarden style riff. Lord soon
introduces a healthy dose of southern sludge Down
would be proud of and some surprisingly melodic vocals which contrast well with
the surrounding heaviness.
From
here, “Desperation Finds Hunger In All
Men” charts a journey through concise, fist-pumping stoner anthems like “At First I didn’t Believe It” and “Whispering Snakes” and massive,
slowly-unfolding epics. “Scorched” comes
across like Crowbar branching out into progressive
territory while “La Fleur Da Cobalt”
finds the band at their most passionate and enraged. Most devastating of all is
the monstrous “Nature Knows No Kings”.
It begins with what feels like the cacophonous climax of a punishing doom track
and proceeds to drive a single ominous riff further and further into the depths
of despair. Over the course of eight and a half minutes, Lord
create a broiling cauldron of crushing sludge, squalling feedback, unhinged lead
guitar and desperate vocals that makes for a unique ride into the beyond.
Just
when you thought there were no more twists and turns to negotiate on this LP, Lord sign off with “This
Lonesome Linger”, a twelve minute acoustic piece. The style really suits
the band with their complex compositions working equally as well with the
volume down, embellished with string arrangements.
Lord can be proud that they have gone
out on a high with “Desperation Finds
Hunger In All Men”. Hopefully this album will inspire others to follow
their path into uncharted waters of doom and sludge.
“Desperation Finds Hunter In
All Men” is available to preorder/buy here
