Review Summary: A huge leap forward for the band, a boon to lovers of stoner-rock, and a promising portent of things to come.
I first happened to see Howling Giant open for Elder on their 2023 tour. While they put on a great show, my impressions was there was a general lack of structure to their songs, and their vocals came off as a little bit corny/cheesy; in the same charming way that Yes can sometimes have some cheesy vocal melodies, but cheesy none the less. It was actually my friend I attended that show with who checked out their discography at that point and recommended it: I found the production on their albums (including their, at that time, most recent release) lacking, and they mostly confirmed my initial feelings about their vocal stylings. I gave them a few half-hearted listens and they gradually fell off my radar entirely.
Cut to the present and that same friend recommends the latest single to their following album, the one I'm taking pains to review here because, frankly, nothing I'd heard in 2023 could have prepared me for the quantum leap this album represents in the quality of production and songwriting on display. Not to say their previous songwriting was bad, or anything, but gone entirely is the murky amateur-ish production, replaced with crisp, powerful, layered sonic dynamics and soundscapes, replete with massive distorted guitars, punchy drums, girthsome basslines and, most importantly, confident and ethereal vocals, and epic lyrical motifs. The songs are almost all immediately catchy, stuffed to the brim with inventive flourishes and creative riffage, furious lead guitar lines, and daunting drumfills. One can feel the ambition radiating from each tightly-woven song on the album's lean 47-minute runtime, and there is not a weak song to be had.
I haven't felt this jazzed about an album possibly since discovering Elder and pilfering their discography, and in many ways I feel they really give Elder a run for their money insofar as sonic textures and stoner-rock distortion-fest fun. This album represents a kind of songwriting that I thought was all but extinct -- taut, powerful, muscular, fun, virtuostic, energetic, lacking pretensions beyond just making excellent music that never rests on its laurels, never takes your attention for granted, and bestows the lucky listener with musical twists and turns galore. This is a musical experience that doesn't merely demand your attention, but earns it, and it represents an exciting new evolution for Howling Giant, proving themselves to be one of the most promising new bands on the scene.
