Its good to cover some home grown talent for a change as is the case here with
London based outfit Molch. Formed in 2022, the band are comprised of former
members of self-described Necro-Psych crew Taman Shud and Experimental
Jazz/Black Metal Doomsters Five the Hierophant.
On Hexen Ground, the band's debut release has lyrics described in the
promotional notes as exploring 'the myriad failings of the human race' as well as being 'scathing, allegorical dissections of man's misdeeds'. The album is also labelled a 'summoning...a primal invocation of elemental forces'. Considering the musical history of Molch's respective members as well as the involvement of Wayne Adams (Petbrick/Jaaw/Bear Bites Horse), expectations are thus sky high. Excited? You bet.
'Reckoning the Astral Gibbet' opens the album in a highly Psychedelic fashion,
recalling not only legendary Space-Rockers Hawkwind but also contemporary
sounding outfits such as the late, great Samsara Blues Experiment and Giöbia.
There's an aggressive edge present but not one that threatens to overwhelm the
track's otherwise glistening atmospherics. A divine start. 'Old Ones Part II' cranks
out riffs in a fashion that would make Italians UFOmammut proud, alternating
brilliantly between savage all out sludgy Noise-Metal and Om's more hypnotic
spiritual qualities. 'Abaft the Krok-Hooal' the album's shortest track at a mere 2:32 is
Grungy and murky with the vibe similar to a pre-fame Bleach era Nirvana, a fucked
up version of The Wipers and the kind of Noise-Rock that has been Gnod's stock in
trade for over two decades. Employing a comparatively direct approach to its
predecessors, the track is all the better off for it.
'Plight of the Chiliast' Vocals oddly recall those of The Pastels Stephen McRobbie,
though any notion that the music here resembles in anyway the fey Twee/Indie-Pop
stylings of that band are dispelled immediately by the visceral, punishing sounds on
offer. I recall Harvey Milk being described by Black Cobra's Jason Landrian in an
episode of Amoeba Records' What's In My Bag as “heavy, if not necessarily in a
Metal way”, which could easily apply to this track. The band are way too avant-
garde and weird sounding to be lumped in with the likes of Pantera, Slayer et al, its
for this very reason why I've been enjoying the album thus so far. 'The Immortal', the
record's longest track at nearly eight minutes, features spoken word Vocals
throughout and an eerie Pink Floyd 'Set the Controls For the Heart of the Sun'
sensibility. This is a far more Progressive piece from the band which helps
showcase their high level of musical ability, in fact so captivated by the music was I,
that I found myself losing the narrative thread. A fantastic track albeit one that may
require multiple listens to fully digest.
'The Hills Have Horns' as intonated by the title has Black Metal elements with
shrieked Vocal stylings and an overall eerie-ness, however put into perspective, this
is far from the Punky lo-fi 'true cvlt' of Darkthrone, nor (thankfully) is it the campy
theatrical nonsense of Cradle of Filth. Finally 'Plaguesmoker' with its seductive
grooves brings the listener to a meditative state of mind ala Geordies Bong,
however Molch eschew straying too far into mellow new age hippy territory thanks
to the other side of their musical repertoire which help bring the album to a
stunningly cathartic, ferocious conclusion.
On Hexen Ground will appeal to Metalheads in possession of an open mind as well
as those like myself with an affinity for Noise-Rock, Psych and other such genres.
An excellent album and one well worthy of your time and investigation.
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