Album
Type:
Album
Date
Released:
February 2015
Label:
Inverse
Records
Hide
– Track Listing
1.
Swallow
2.
Lye
3.
Lie
4.
Dilate
5.
Tire Iron
Members
Toni Raukola
Eetu Lehtinen
Lauri Tattari
Review:
Helsinki
trio, Burweed did a good job of shaking my preconception that all
bands from Finland are mysterious occult doom types (see any number
of excellent releases from Svart records). The band claim to be a
hybrid of post metal and sludge, but one listen to their debut LP
“Hide” reveals them to be something quite different.
“Swallow”
grabs the listener’s attention with some tasty riffage that recalls
a smoother Mastodon topped with hoarse vocals. Things then take a
left turn into more melodic territory complete with some cool,
squelchy, sci-fi bass effects. The overall effect is not dissimilar
to the kind of heavy progressive alt rock made by the sadly defunct
Oceansize.
Over
the course of the next five tracks, Burweed continue to combine
heaviness with more relaxed passages in distinctive fashion. The
quieter sections avoid the trappings you would normally expect of
post metal, favouring intricate instrumental interplay over
effects-based atmosphere, although “Dilate” does build to a
satisfyingly soaring climax not unlike Red Sparowes in their prime.
The heavier sections lack the real filth and grime to feel like
sludge, but work well on their own terms, providing a pleasant crunch
to proceedings. “Lye” even adds a, dare I say, emo edge with its
earnest heavy chorus but Burweed manage to pull off this difficult
task and still make it sound good. It’s this willingness to take
chances that makes “Hide” a refreshing listen and marks Burweed
out as a very different proposition to many of their peers.
After
its initial interesting laid back tremolo intro, “Tire Iron” is a
bit of a let-down after the solid first four tracks, feeling a bit
like a retread of previous successful ideas. Thinks pick up again for
closer “Hide / Defend” though, with another voyage through peaks
and troughs of volume culminating in a heavily reverbed dustbowl
dirge, complete with woozy tremolo bends for added effect.
With
“Hide”, Burweed show that you don’t always need layer upon
layer of crushing distortion and walls of delay to make an
interesting, heavy, progressive album.
Words
by Charlie Butler
Thanks
to Inverse Records for the promo. Hide is available to buy now via
Inverse Records.
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