Album Type: Full
Length
Date Released: 28/02/2020
Label: Kozmik Artifactz
The Review:
The first time
I listened to Humulus was in Hong Kong in 2013. Youtube recommended their debut album
to me based on my previous music selections. I decided to follow Youtube’s
advice and descend further down the proverbial rabbit hole. Youtube had been
hit or miss with regard to its suggestions, but there was something about the Humulus album cover of an
Elephant holding a beer with its trunk. Thankfully, I pressed play and was
introduced to some stellar metal.
Humulus’s latest album, “The
Deep”, does not disappoint. The band delivers some outstanding stoner
rock. The album begins with the track “Devil’s
Peak (We Eventually Eluded Death)” which does a wonderful job setting the
stage with each instrument and the vocals working well in conjunction, offering
a track full of stoner hallmarks like distorted and fuzzed out guitar. “Hajra” allows for the guitar to
demonstrate some subtlety and inverts the Pixies formula of loud/quiet/loud. The second half of
the album switches things up a bit. “Into
the Heart of the Volcano Sun” begins with a melodic organ which segues
nicely into some exquisite guitar work. “Lunar
Queen” continues with some stand out acoustic guitar, and the album
concludes with the track “Sanctuary III
- The Deep” which has more of a light melodic introduction before revving
things up with a monstrous guitar riff.
Altogether, Humulus does not disappoint, and
this album will help to cement their legacy.
