(Editor’s Note: Today Fecking Bahamas is introducing a new section dedicated to heaviness, coming to you from none other than longtime friend and collaborator of the blog, Haunt Luma aka At Home With Monsters.
Over the years, we’ve had countless talks about the finer points of metal and heavy music, examining it from every angle imaginable, and so many times I couldn’t help but think, ‘damn, I wish this was somehow on the blog.’
Well, now those conversations, recommendations, and diatribes have finally found a productive home! We’ll be tinkering with the format here and there but for now Haunt’s picked a handful of heavies from the inbox, which is as always overflowing beyond our wildest dreams. But first, a relevant question for Haunt – how did you get into heavy music?)
“How did I get into heavy music? I don’t even remember discovering it. My earliest memories of any music are loving ‘The Nutcracker’ by Tchaikovsky” and a cassette called Jokes, Riddles, and Silly Songs (I’m Almost Dead). In 8th grade, a friend said he would go into his room and play Slipknot when his dad was mean to him, so I thought that was impressive.”
Hiss – A Cheapened Crown
The Portland 3 piece wield an encumbrance reminding us of Barbarians of California or the late Daughters: fuzzy, discordant, and with peculiar dexterity. It is indeed sludge. but swings-is that possible at room temperature?
FFO: ’68, Spotlights, L’itch
Gaerea – “Nomad”
Like their contemporaries White Ward from Ukraine, Portugal’s Gaerea show that the future of blackened metallic hardcore may rest far from the beaten path of its typical host countries.There is even a sense of melodic storytelling we would often associate with Neck of the Woods or Mastodon by feeling significant without ever approaching redundancy or long windedness.
FFO: Imperial Triumphant, Ulcerate
Portrayal of Guilt – Beginning of the End
Perusing the discography of PoG can sometimes feel like ye old mystery box from CoD zombies, in that you know you will get something unholy, but the exact delivery is in question. This latest release is liable to fetch more souls with continued experimentation from the band.
FFO: Cult Leader, Mico
Loathe – “Fangs”
The pioneers are back to cut a new trail out of the metalcore landscape with “Fangs.” However one feels about they direction they have chosen, there is no denying the band excels at using the heavy music palette as a uniquely locked in and emotive toolset to express any genre of their choosing. This is highly thrilling to be subject to as they point at Y2K era Pop and RnB for the latest round. LOATHE, I forgive you for that ambient album bought blindly at full price!
FFO: fleshwater, Spiritbox
Sun Guts – “Jaw Maze”
As mathematical as anything can get is the new Sun Guts single, “Jaw Maze.” From Dirac Delta-like rhythmic pulses that only make sense after full integration over the 3:31 time window to the spectral distribution given by Kubacki’s downtuned, heavily effected guitar process, this is applied science at its most peak.
FFO: Car Bomb, Botch, Joseph A. Peragine
(Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more from Haunt on the At Home With Monsters Bandcamp here or on the Corus app here.)
