Hung At Dawn
We were recently sent through the latest offering from Hung At Dawn, a Ft. Pierce 5 piece offering us their own take on metal. Formed out of the ashes of previous band Devistation, these guys have faced line-up changes and issues, but finally seem to be in a place where everything is settled and they’re moving forwards. As such, I figured now was the time to check out for myself what was going on here!
Migration shows us one thing from the off, that this is going to be one heavy assed journey! Launching us straight into a hammering melee of roaring guitar lines, pounding drums, roving bass rhythms and guttural vocal lines, this is the sort of music which you always knew was out there but were too afraid to go out and check out! Taking a leaf out of the Devil Driver handbook, this is the sort of music which is going to get pits opening up, people going mental and leave venues as nothing but dust, and we’re only on the first track! Hangmans Resolve certainly continues the sludgy and dark approach to things, this time adding in a soaring lead line to further develop the track and turn it into something beyond the simplistic tag of ‘metal’. Heavy once again, the sense of melody that has been incorporated into things here makes this a track which will appeal to fans of the heavier side of things as well as converting those who haven’t been too sure before, it’s a damned good EP and is testament to these guys as a band.
No Vacancy comes up next and continues to raise the bar for other bands out there, this time launching us into a rolling melee of guitars and drums heavy enough to shatter even the heaviest fans resolve. The combination of rolling drums and roaring vocals comes to a head when the track properly gets going, leading you into a track which is heavier than anything I’ve come across in a while yet still has a sense of melody within it – it’s like a pleasure and pain thing but it works! Soul Eater follows much the same sort of convention, once again opening with a sludgy yet funky guitar line, roving towards the realms of groove metal without taking on any stereotypical hooks or moments from other bands. The lead line which is added over the top here is the most striking element of this track, demonstrating that you haven’t just got a heavy metal band here, you’ve got a band who can seriously play their instruments!
The Noise Is Killing Me adds a slightly different take on things as it comes into take the lead, opening with a more disjointed approach yet still keeping the sense of powerful melodicness running through everything. I personally really loved the way that the track seems to break down whilst continuing to progress, it’s a clever combination of raw guitar riffs and pounding drums which keeps this track alive and makes it another track which I would seriously advise you to check out when you get the chance. Closing with Consumption, the band have saved one last moment of sheer genius for last, leaving you on a serious high and with a taste for the band firmly set in place. Opening slowly but launching into quite possibly the heaviest moment on the EP, this final track leaves me with no doubt that this is going to be a band which we need to get over to these shores, ideally with the mighty Devil Driver, as that would be one hell of a tour!
I didn’t really know what to expect from Hung At Dawn if I’m honest as there wasn’t a huge amount of information about them on their bio sites, but I think that may have been a good thing looking back now. Their sound is a combination of all out metal core combined with groove metal, and good old heavy metal, resulting in a sound which is not only mind-blowingly heavy but also melodic and, at times, funky. This is the sort of music which is going to make you get out to see bands, so this is one which you really need to make sure you check out!
To find out more about Hung At Dawn, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Migration shows us one thing from the off, that this is going to be one heavy assed journey! Launching us straight into a hammering melee of roaring guitar lines, pounding drums, roving bass rhythms and guttural vocal lines, this is the sort of music which you always knew was out there but were too afraid to go out and check out! Taking a leaf out of the Devil Driver handbook, this is the sort of music which is going to get pits opening up, people going mental and leave venues as nothing but dust, and we’re only on the first track! Hangmans Resolve certainly continues the sludgy and dark approach to things, this time adding in a soaring lead line to further develop the track and turn it into something beyond the simplistic tag of ‘metal’. Heavy once again, the sense of melody that has been incorporated into things here makes this a track which will appeal to fans of the heavier side of things as well as converting those who haven’t been too sure before, it’s a damned good EP and is testament to these guys as a band.
No Vacancy comes up next and continues to raise the bar for other bands out there, this time launching us into a rolling melee of guitars and drums heavy enough to shatter even the heaviest fans resolve. The combination of rolling drums and roaring vocals comes to a head when the track properly gets going, leading you into a track which is heavier than anything I’ve come across in a while yet still has a sense of melody within it – it’s like a pleasure and pain thing but it works! Soul Eater follows much the same sort of convention, once again opening with a sludgy yet funky guitar line, roving towards the realms of groove metal without taking on any stereotypical hooks or moments from other bands. The lead line which is added over the top here is the most striking element of this track, demonstrating that you haven’t just got a heavy metal band here, you’ve got a band who can seriously play their instruments!
The Noise Is Killing Me adds a slightly different take on things as it comes into take the lead, opening with a more disjointed approach yet still keeping the sense of powerful melodicness running through everything. I personally really loved the way that the track seems to break down whilst continuing to progress, it’s a clever combination of raw guitar riffs and pounding drums which keeps this track alive and makes it another track which I would seriously advise you to check out when you get the chance. Closing with Consumption, the band have saved one last moment of sheer genius for last, leaving you on a serious high and with a taste for the band firmly set in place. Opening slowly but launching into quite possibly the heaviest moment on the EP, this final track leaves me with no doubt that this is going to be a band which we need to get over to these shores, ideally with the mighty Devil Driver, as that would be one hell of a tour!
I didn’t really know what to expect from Hung At Dawn if I’m honest as there wasn’t a huge amount of information about them on their bio sites, but I think that may have been a good thing looking back now. Their sound is a combination of all out metal core combined with groove metal, and good old heavy metal, resulting in a sound which is not only mind-blowingly heavy but also melodic and, at times, funky. This is the sort of music which is going to make you get out to see bands, so this is one which you really need to make sure you check out!
To find out more about Hung At Dawn, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls