Thursday 28 March 2013

Hammerhands - Glaciers - Review

Glaciers cover art

Hammerhands is a Sludge/Post-Metal Band from Mississauga, Canada

The members are:

NJ - guitar & vocals
Collin - guitar
Jon - drums
Justin - bass

Hammerhands are a Sludge/Post-Metal band taking influence from legendary bands such as Neurosis, ISIS, The Ocean and Cult Of Luna and Sunn0))). But what makes these guys standout from the other great bands out there. Well it’s their heavy and almost violent riff style approach to their blend of Sludge/Post-Metal.

Glaciers is a six song and 66-minute blast of outstanding Sludge/Drone/Post-Metal riffs and atmospherics.

Glaciers has five “normal” Sludge/Post-Metal songs to crush your entire being to. You can feel each note and riff rising from the ground before Hammerhands unleash the heavy metallic fury behind each bone-crunching riff. First track – Floods – is a 10-minute epic that takes time in building up the atmosphere before the violent sounds and sonic attacks come out of nowhere leaving you gasping for air.

The hardcore-based vocals have an equal hardened steel vibe as the great riffs on show. You’re thrown straight into the battlefields with Hammerhands. Everything is loud, precise and brutal. Just hang on for your life as you’re in for a thrilling ride for the next 33 mins or so.

Analysis Paralysis is the next track to fracture your whole body to. It has a slight progressive metal edge to it before the hardcore style of Sludge/Post-Metal riffs come to join the out of control battle that is emerging from your speakers. It shows Hammerhands are definitely not a band to be messed with.

The next two tracks follow up what has came before it. Glaciers and Meatbags unleashing primal slabs of Sludge/Post-Metal fury where there is no escape from. The slap-dash approach of the guitars on Meatbags almost feel you are dodging bullets in a real war or battle. There is no escaping from Hammerhands when they are in this blistering mood. Every living thing is destroyed in their wake on this brilliant song. One of my fave tracks on the album. Heavy, brutal, blistering and action packed all in one go.

Hammerhands slow things right down for the next track. A 1:15 orchestral interlude before the final battle of Hammerhands base war finally commences. And they have saved the best for last.

The final track – Equus – is a 30-minute epic that blows everything out of the water. This is the final push in the never-ending battle Hammerhands have taken the listener upon. Subtle ambient drone based noises are blended together with more violent outbursts of heavy sludge/post-metal riffage. The first 10 minutes is a violent schizophrenic assault on the senses that will leave you thinking where do the band go from here. Well the final 20 minutes is distorted guitar noise atmospherics that Sunn0))) would be proud to call their own.

Equus is an emotional rollercoaster of noise, atmosphere and tone that only a great band can capture. I needed a long rest after listening to this album in one full sitting. Glaciers is unnerving, unflinching and uncompromising in its the brutality. Glaciers is not only a truly wonderful album – it’s an incredible audio experience you cannot do without.

Hammerhands are brilliant musicians. Some of the best I have heard this year. Glaciers is an album they should be incredibly proud of. I loved every minute of it.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

You can buy Glaciers from the their BandCamp Page now. You don’t know what you’re missing.

Check This Great Band Below.