Power of Metal.dk Review

Hang the Bastard
Sex in the Seventh Circle
Rating
Style: Stoner Metal
Release date: 22 September, 2014
Playing time: 47:30
 


As most of the remakable names in sludge metal-а the releases of the Englishmen HANG THE BASTARD are born in a hard way. In difference to their American colleagues they have a significant debut that is full of the dissatisfaction of the metal-core bands. The press release for their new release informs us for the new direction of the band but the rest from this information isa sispicious silence, and this is not by accident...

The two years long work on the new concept has pushed the band more into the stoner metal gender. The softening of the guitar and vocal sound is remarkable. The taste toward more listenable melodies reminds the early wave of the British blues bands where the ready receipts are cooked with a measured personal touch. This retro sound is dressed into „dirty” sound that serves us the music submerged in a constant noise with high frequences. This noise melts modern sludge influences with some experiments of the psychedelic rock bands of the 70es. Fortunatelly the vocals are not mutilated with studio attempts for clear singing! From the aggressive blend kept however is taken the pulse of sincerety. In combination with the sound desicion the vocals are closer to some abantguard black metal projects. So to the inevitable comparisons to CREAM, KYUSS, BLACK SABBATH I would add THE KOVENANT, although the clishe and the inadequateness to all these comparisons.

Century Media took HANG THE BASTARD in this transformation in a hazard way, as it seems to me, in the hunt for new bands. There are lots of pleasant things for listening in „Sex in the Seventh Circle“. The lack is this that can blow you away! The standard stoner references, the boring sound decoration and the vocals with no personality made of their songs similar tracks. The promised riffs persist here but they are not the basis for the „completely new direction“ of the band.


Tracklist
01. Keeping Vigil
02.
Mors Tempest
03.
Hornfel
04.
The Lesser Key
05.
The Majestic Gathering Of Goetia
06.
Mists Of Albion
07.
Sex in the Seventh Circle
08.
Snake Symbol
09.
Absorption
10.
Beyond The Pale
11. S
weet Mother
Label: Century Media
Distribution: Universal (Denmark)
Reviewed by: Rock Thrashler
Date: 29 November, 2014
Website: Hang the Bastard @ Facebook