ALBUM REVIEW: Challenger – Haggard Cat

It was a crying shame when HECK called it a day last year, a storming farewell set at ArcTanGent confirming that the band formerly known as BABY GODZILLA would be sorely missed. Their schizophrenic style of ‘math punk’ combined with frenetic and chaotic live shows served them well over their short career and it seemed that another bright spark in the British alternative scene had been extinguished way before its time. From the ashes rise phoenixes, however, and HAGGARD CAT are now ready to dig their claws into any unfortunate bands to cross their path. Formed by ex-HECK members Matt Reynolds and Tom Marsh, their debut album Challenger  is released on Friday via Earache Records.

Given who’s at the helm of this band, it will be of no surprise to anyone that Challenger, to an extent, picks up where HECK and their fantastic debut Instructions left off; the whirlwind of fuzzy guitars, searing drums and Reynolds’ harrowing vocals provide a welcoming return to anyone pining for that maelstrom of destruction that ensued between the ears.

This time however, there’s more of a maturity about how HAGGARD CAT go about proceedings. The crazed, manic direction they once took has been brought down by a notch or two, sacrificed in the pursuit of channelling the energy into a tighter, more consolidated affair. Take opening track The Patriot for example, which takes on an almost straightforward 4/4 style of punk rock yet remains ever-blistering or lead single Bone Shaker that rumbles on nicely with an air of HAGGARD CAT tipping their hat to the desert-rock tempo of CLUTCH. There are, of course, areas where anarchy is allowed to reign supreme, such as the intense Grave Digger and the spite within the lyrics of American Graffiti; “I’m not the devil, I’m a motherfucking God!” screams Reynolds as the song explodes with the force of a pipe bomb.

For a duo, the sound is big and brash, married with the sort of lo-fi production that epitomised HECK’s DIY attitude to recording and deliverance. It’s grimy, dirty and enthralling, with Marsh’s excellent ability to keep proceedings on tenterhooks (like The Felon where a significant part is a simple bass kick) a real eye opener into just what can be achieved with two members, a real statement to the whole ‘less is more’ philosophy. Again though, HAGGARD CAT aren’t afraid to experiment a bit, putting in brass instruments on closing song High Roller and actually finishing the song – and in turn, the album – with one solitary, mournful, out of tune trumpet, which nicely sums up the carnage that’s unfolded over the past forty minutes or so.

Clearly, HAGGARD CAT have lost none of their bruising impact; all they’ve done is connected a few paths to have less points of impact on the senses, but increase the bludgeoning effect of those that remain. As a title, Challenger exudes an air of arrogance, a mentality of ‘I’m better than you and I’ll knock you from your self-proclaimed pedestal’; as an album, HAGGARD CAT prove they’re not all talk and no trousers.

Rating: 8/10

Challenger is set for release on April 20th via Earache Records.

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