It has hardly been a full month, as I write this, since I had the privilege of reviewing the excellent ‘Mindhammers’ EP from Leeds, UK-based sound smiths, Hawk Eyes. I’ve used words like visceral, ballsy (which is American for big bollocks), and ‘juggernaut’ to describe the music these gentlemen make. In short, and in the interest of full disclosure, I am a huge fan of Hawk Eyes.
Also around the time I was reviewing ‘Mindhammers’, I heard that Hawk Eyes was working on their next full length album, and using crowd/fan-sourcing site PledgeMusic, offering fans special incentives for their monetary pledges. Needless to say, my lunch money (a couple of week’s worth) went toward helping Hawk Eyes get ‘Ideas’ finished. In fact, the response to the band’s PledgeMusic campaign was positive, immediate and, from my outsider’s perspective, overwhelming. The reason for such a response? We, the fans, want more of what Hawk Eyes are playing.
On my review of ‘Mindhammers’, I asserted that the vocals were morphing into more melodic and more singing, versus sung and screamed (which I also like a great deal, on songs like ‘Scorpieau’). I wrote something about how I felt the vocals were more refined on the EP. I have since read that vocalist Paul Astick was ordered to ease up on the screaming a bit, that his Doc thought he was doing horrible damage to his throat. Whatever the case might be, I like the vocals, and was even assured, via Twitter, that the screaming is not going anywhere.
What has not changed on ‘Ideas’ is the copious, catchy guitar riffage in pretty much every song. In fact, I debated with myself about whether to cover this aspect of Hawk Eyes’ music, since pretty much every other place I read about ‘Ideas’ mentioned how many great riffs they’ve come up with (and it’s not a new thing either, they’ve always had killer riffs). There’s no denying that these guys have opened ‘The Riff Locker’ and let the notes flow freely! Great musicianship is standard with the Hawks, with ‘Ideas’ being no exception.
Track 1, ‘Witch Hunt’, starts the album off with a bang, a bombastic blast of rhythm section and scratchy lead guitar, and exceedingly catchy and infectious chorus/verse. Track 2, ‘Skyspinners’ not to be outdone, is itself riffy, catchy and features a great refrain (Shut UP!), as well as a mid-song time/tempo change that has faked me out as the end of the song more than once.
Track 3, ‘Yes Have Some’ has a shrill, angry guitar line that sounds like a dentist’s drill on top of reeling, QotSA-style lines and beats.
Slowing down the action just a bit, track 4, ‘Headstrung’, has more of a Soundgarden or at least somehow harder feel, with portions of it sounding enormous, complex and sludgy. Listen to this one on a stereo or headphones with a good low end, the effect is kickass. Same goes for the last song on the album, ‘Bees’, which has a similar big sound and texture.
Since I am low on word count, other highlights include short and static-y ‘Milk Hog’ and ‘Kiss This’, which both are very thrashy and hearken back to the ‘Modern Bodies’ modus operandi. Alluding to my passage about Paul’s voice, the screaming is not going, and has not gone, anywhere. ‘Kiss This’ has one of the best sort of choruses on the album, and is my early favourite track. You’ll know what I mean as soon as you hear it.
‘Ideas’ is another top-notch effort from Hawk Eyes, chock full of hard, rocking riffs, tight playing, heartfelt vocals and well-structured songs. And to have released this full-length so close on the heels of the EP, I have to be very grateful, as a fan, that their creativity is flowing so generously. I also have to wonder if they put something in the water in Leeds to spawn such a creative and prodigious Rock Tempest!
Released March 26 2012 through Fierce Panda
Posted by Jake Gillen
