ALBUM REVIEW: One – Barbarian Hermit
Manchester fuzz-lords BARBARIAN HERMIT have made significant strides in the underground metal scene in recent years with their debut record Solitude and Savagery, and acquiring particular accolades such as having the privilege of kicking off proceedings at Bloodstock Open Air 2019 as well as getting some successful jaunts around the UK under their belts. 2021 is showing signs of becoming the second coming of 2020 so to take our minds off the dark clouds which are looming the quintet are poised to release a remastered version of their 2016 debut demo entitled One which is due to be unveiled on January 29th via APF Records. Will this give us an injection of much needed escapism?
Mermaid kicks off this release with some tasty stoner grooves and punchy drumming to get your blood pumping. The melodic yet gritty vocal work is the perfect accompaniment and provides nostalgic CORROSION OF CONFORMITY vibes that warm your soul. Whilst the track gently plods along at a steady pacing there is plenty to appreciate and get lost in. Tigerhorse follows in a similar vain allowing you to get swept away on the sea of enchanting riff work, springing into life in pockets as it progresses to make sure you’re paying attention. Some slick lead work follows in the latter stages. Burn The Fire possesses a sludgier, fuzzy tone which works hand in hand with the downtuned chugging, instrumentation. The melodies contained within this track are utterly addictive and lure you in effortlessly.
Barbarian Enforcement Agency displays a more sinister edge than its predecessors, powerfully stomping around with a lack of consideration for its surroundings. Exhilarating energetic bursts and potent galloping riffs assist in enhancing the tempo. Alma kicks it up a gear with a punk/thrash infused pacing that catches you off guard. The riff work feels even more devastating when a bit of speed is brought into the mix. Widowmaker maintains the instilled fire and vigour as it confidently bounces along with infectious instrumentation. The vocal work is incredibly soulful and slots into the soundscape with ease.
Rather than being a direct copy of the previous iteration the riff mongers have decided to treat us to a previously unreleased track entitled Through The Periscope Of The Deadly Sub. A 9 minute epic voyage littered with doom ridden, sludgy riffing and a particularly dark, foreboding tone. Intricate drum fills play an important part in increasing the intensity levels alongside the commanding vocal presence, providing an ideal track to round off this journey.
It can be difficult to make stoner metal sound innovative and refreshing due to how well it has been executed in the past but BARBARIAN HERMIT bring something exciting to the table which makes you want to be along for the ride for every second of runtime. For listeners who may not be acquainted with their work this is the perfect gateway and starting block to work from and for existing fans it is a good excuse to revisit an impressive array of material with an added bonus. This music screams out to be played live and to be enjoyed by a venue packed to the ceiling so with any luck the Manchester outfit will be able to return to the world of gigs sooner rather than later.
Rating: 9/10
One is out now via APF Records.
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