ALBUM REVIEW: Ultraritual – Håndgemeng
Sitting at the end of the Oslofjord lies Norway’s magnificent capital city, Oslo. Emerging from its deep blue waters, bringing hulking heavy psychedelic, stoner riffs with the aggression of hardcore is the mighty metal kraken HÅNDGEMENG. The pioneers of stonercore unleash all their might on their debut full-length Ultraritual, following up two successful EPs Motorcycle Death Cult and the impeccable Grim Riffer. With the members of HÅNDGEMENG coming from a predominately punk and hardcore background, there is certainly and extra layer of grit and rawness to their riffing, and even though the riffs are slower this Norwegian powerhouse still knows how to throw a weighty sonic punch. As the band were set to record their debut, the world fell into darkness and in those shadows the band have created seven songs packed with forceful, hard-hitting and hypnotic riffs. Ultraritual takes you on a sonic journey unlike any other, simultaneously psyching you up and psyching you out.
The word ‘håndgemeng’ translates as rough-and-tumble, scuffle, free fight, and if you need a perfect album to soundtrack any potential scuffles with demons from the cosmos, the boot-stomping, fist-swinging grooves of Ultraritual are exactly what you’re looking for. Packed with humongous grooves, layers of thick fuzz, thunderous drums and powerful vocals, this dominating hybrid of stoner and hardcore, which although it is an unlikely marriage of styles, works phenomenally well. HÅNDGEMENG also balance this with luscious psychedelic passages, layered with beautiful melodies and ethereal reverbs. With that in mind, the dynamics of Ultraritual are certainly whiplash-inducing but in the best way possible; it feels like you’ve been strapped into a locomotive with a one way ticket from the depths of hell to the farthest reaches of outer space.
Chaotic riffing aside, the album does take you on an awesome journey through a variety of cosmic and earthly landscapes. From the very first notes of the captivating intro riff The Astronomer it feels like you’re set to embark on a mighty cosmic quest, getting ready to throw down with some crazy cosmic beasts. HÅNDGEMENG create a highly energetic, vivid and exciting atmosphere that aids your imagination in conjuring up some truly epic and triumphant imagery. There is a surprising amount of elegance and nuance in the more psychedelic sections of Ultraritual, capturing a variety of emotions that really add depth to the album, this is especially the case on the album’s closing track Occulation Of Mars.
HÅNDGEMENG have certainly hit a sweet spot at the crossing point of hardcore and stoner with sprinklings of classic rock appearing now and again just to bind the two together even more. There is an equal balance of each and they’ve made a significant effort to make sure that the sections flow into each other as smoothly as possible. This fluidity and dynamism is a testament to the band’s songwriting and the strength of their vision. There is something special and magical about Ultraritual that’s hard to put your finger on, HÅNDGEMENG offer up a fresh perspective and sound that is sure to intrigue people.
Ultraritual bursts into life instantly with The Astronomer, as a hypnotic tapping lead riff brings the song in before bursting into a huge riff. The track keeps a frantic and balanced pace throughout and is the perfect way to kick start and album. Cro-magnon VS Neanderthal has a more classic rock and heavy psych feel to it, yet it keeps you on your toes with ferocious hardcore bursts. The unpredictable dynamics give this the feeling of a prize fight, like the song’s name implies. Visions In Fire has an eerie and mystical aura, making it much darker than the previous two tracks. The riffs are certainly the most aggressive and just like the preceding track it plays with the hardcore/heavy psych dynamic, slowly building with massive riff payoffs that make you pull the MESHUGGAH face in satisfaction.
Temple Of Toke is more doom/stoner focused, with swirling riffs and huge chord progressions accompanied by ethereal, spaced out vocals and synths. Title track Ultraritual is a blink and you’ll miss it track; upping the pace and bringing in BLACK SABBATH-style Devil’s tritone riffs, it’s four minutes of pure, sinister, darkness with a desert rock vibe. Tales From The Thundra doubles down on the heavy psych atmospheres to create imagery of a windy and vast open space in which you stand alone, gazing into nothing. Occulation Of Mars is the shining star of this album, working its way through so many different psychedelic movements with a stunning female guest vocal before erupting into a hardcore frenzy, it is the cherry on the cake as far as the album is concerned.
HÅNDGEMENG will certainly be making a name for themselves with this debut. Enthralling and exciting from the very first second, the unique blend of stoner and hardcore is something you’ll definitely want more of after this.
Rating: 9/10
Ultraritual is set for release on March 10th via Ripple Music.
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