Formed in 2014 by ex-Machine Head man Logan Mader and featuring distinctive vocalist Lauren Hart, Once Human have resolutely pursued their own path over the course of two albums (2015’s The Life I Remember and 2017’s conceptual Evolution). Now back, and after a considerable five-year wait, the band are back with Scar Weaver, a crushingly heavy beast that sees the five-piece band (completed by drummer Dillon Trollope, bassist Damien Rainaud and second guitarist Max Karon) stepping outside of their comfort zone to deliver a compellingly original album.
Opening with the stair-stepping riff of Eidolon, Once Human grab the attention immediately, as they engage with the sort of elastic riffing that powers Gojira and Meshuggah. Lauren once again proves a flashpoint, delivering vocals that veer between extreme aggression and a more melodic, albeit still incredibly powerful, approach. It’s a remarkable opening number and it immediately sets the stage for a band who are able to deftly mix dazzling technical skills with an almighty groove. Deadlock sees the band continue to impress as they deploy a stabbing riff that adds a potent sense of dynamic to proceedings. With elements of nu metal shot through its DNA, the listener is reminded of Catharsis / Burning Red -era Machine Head, a feeling further reinforced by the presence of main man Robb Flynn, who provides a vicious cameo on vocals. Slowing the pace, the doom-laden title track is a crushingly dark sonic assault underpinned by Dillon’s inventively seismic drumming. With Lauren stepping up her game yet further, it’s a brutal track that further elevates Once Human’s impressive stock and leaves the listener with a neck battered from a prolonged bout of headbanging. Scything between exceptional brutality and impressive melodies, Bottom Feeder opens on a riff that could shatter concrete, only for Lauren to deploy a multi-layered vocal that stands as one of the most ambitious of her career. The result is simply jaw dropping – a dynamic, multi-faceted sonic hydra that consistently challenges the listener over the course of its five-minute run time. Where The Bones Lie rounds out the first side – a white hot maelstrom of frantic riffing and charred-larynx screams.
Kicking off the second side, the eerie harmonies of Erasure lead to a darker, slower track, albeit still packing a potent groove. A varied track with an almost Alice in Chains vibe in places, Erasure feels like a departure, but a worthwhile one, paving the way for the churning Deserted, which borrows the odd trick from Devin Townsend along the way. Maintaining the Devin connection, albeit of the Strapping Young Lad variety, We Ride is a straight up cover that does much to replicate Devin’s outpouring of blazing riffs and twisted melodies. There’s real depth here, and the dizzying solo that greets the listener is nothing short of fret worship at its finest – no mean feat to follow in the mad scientist’s footsteps. After such a track, the more progressively styled Cold Arrival comes as something of a relief despite the sustained intensity levels. It leaves Only In Death to round out this most impressive and varied of albums on a similarly progressive trip, this time edging into the majestic territory previously inhabited by Opeth. It is a fitting ending to an album and it once again highlights the impressive range that Lauren can deploy.
Holy shit, Scar Weaver is an immense album. Drawing from across the metal firmament, the band have crafted their own savage identity and, with each of the musicians bringing their A game, there is not a weak moment to be found. In many ways, the album feels like a representation of the band’s own progression over the years, opening with the more brutal cuts before edging into increasingly progressive territory as the album heads towards its conclusion, which makes it all the more immersive as an experience. All hail Once Human, because Scar Weaver is a special album indeed. 9/10
