It is probably best to start this review with a snippet from the press sheet for ‘Grengus’ as it goes a long way towards explaining the hyper-corrosive sludge/doom that Horn of the rhino deal in: “not that many bands can cite as influences Bolt thrower, Autopsy, and Wino or Soundgarden. Then again, not that many bands sound like Bilbao’s Horn of the rhino…” The writers of the press release have a point – for while sludge and doom are both apt genre benchmarks for the band, Horn of the rhino rarely stand still in one place long enough for you to categorise them absolutely although the description (again from the press release) of “fucking heavy” is no bad starting point and certainly accurate.
‘Grengus’, Horn of the rhino’s second album for the mighty Doomentia Records, is a powerful beast indeed. Possibly best described as the sound Phil Anselmo hears in his dreams, it takes a variety of disparate influences and welds them into a ferocious, snarling album that dispenses with just eight tracks over its weighty forty-odd minute run time. Ranging from full-on, raw throated attacks, as bloody as a bar fight and twice as vicious, to slower, thick-as-molasses sludge runs, there is variety and dynamic in spades making this one of the most potent albums you are liable to hear. Opening with the mid-tempo groove of ‘under the hoof’, those Autopsy influences come to the fore with the band unleashing a malicious riff over restrained, yet thunderous drums on a track that becomes increasingly unhinged as it develops. Arguably the song of choice for discerning victims of demonic possession, it is an unholy racket HOTR make indeed and one that will have fans of death-infused doom rubbing their hands together with glee at the prospect. The wonderfully titled ‘pile of severed heads’ is up next and it proves to be a super-charged ride into the devil’s territory on a nitro-powered motorcycle – it’s hard, heavy and so hot you can practically smell the brimstone. It also rocks like nothing else you’ve heard of late and if you don’t bang your head compulsively then there’s a good chance you’re clinically dead. The title track takes a different tack and suddenly you get the Soundgarden/Wino references as the band unleash a huge… no a HUGE grinding riff overtopped with some dark and eerie vocal harmonies. It’s a brilliant sidestep that maintains the oppressive heaviness of the opening tracks but which adds a touch of melodic class to proceedings; It’s a personal favourite on the album but then you’re greeted with the fist to the face that is ‘Drowned in gold’, a surging, brutal effort that sees the vocals switch form melodic to grit-fuelled growl in a heartbeat whilst the guitars which start off doom-laden and syrupy, suddenly pick up and spiral off into twisted alt-rock territory. It’s quite unique and one hell of a ride whilst the heavier passages (such as the crushing riff that rounds out the song) are quite sufficient to knock you senseless… as the tidal wave of destruction that is ‘waste for ghouls’ testifies to. A searing riff coupled with gloriously hardcore vocals, it is one of the album’s heaviest moments, although not to be outdone ‘awaken horror of Tuul’ is similarly destructive, the corrosive riffs supporting a vocal performance that is dripping with bile.
Things slow right down for the atmospheric house of horrors that is ‘Brought back’, a track that fits more into the dark territory inhabited by Soundgarden and Alice in Chains at their very bleakest and which features an astonishing vocal performance whilst also demonstrating that restraint can be just as powerful as a brutal riff when it comes to crafting tense, dynamic music. When the riffs do finally appear, they are slow and brutal indeed and over the songs ten-odd minutes the band move through a range of moods and riffs that showcase a versatility that does their myriad inspirations full justice. It is a monstrous, epic piece of work and the highlight for which the equally excellent title track proved to be a practice run. The final track on this album is the aptly named ‘ride the leviathan’ which is heavier than a bucket full of Mastadon CDs set in concrete and twice as brutal. It is a fine, suitably apocalyptic ending to the disc and one that will have all but the most cynical of metal fans sitting up, wide-eyed and staring with huge shit-eating grins on their faces.
Horn of the rhino are an excellent addition to the collection of any metal fan. Note metal fan and not doom metal fan – their influences are too diverse and their music too good to limit the recommendation to any one group of people. This is undoubtedly one of 2012’s essential releases and for those of you with a taste for vinyl, it is worth noting that you’ll also get to hear the band’s reworking of Soundgarden’s evergreen ‘searching with my good eye closed’ – a fine incentive to buy the album in a proper format! This is an awesome record from a similarly awesome band.
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