Hull - Sole Lord

Genre metal Publisher The End Records External Links Hull MySpace

After listening to the first track “Innocence” off of Brooklyn, New York metal band Hull’s newest CD Sole Lord, most people would think this is just another sludge band emulating the heavy wall of sound utilized by the Melvins. Soon enough, it is evident that this is a band of pure musical prowess to the likes of the new wave of southern metal bands that have emerged the last couple of years.

The most notorious of these bands to emerge has been Baroness of Georgia. They have a sound of mixed influences ranging from Black Sabbath, The Melvins and even 60s jam bands - which is exactly what sets them apart. Unlike early sludge metal bands such as Crowbar and The Melvins, newer bands are not purely trying to shake the foundation with a wall of sound. These bands are heavy, however, they are progressive. At any point in a song, they have no problems with having an extensive drum solo or a light melodic guitar riff, for example, before raising the volume again.

What’s surprising with Hull is that, unlike most others of the genre, their songs tend to be average in length - with only a couple making the 6 minute mark. This displays their ability to cut the fat off the songs opting for more quality than quantity.

One noticeable difference between Hull and their contemporaries is that they are much heavier. They are so heavy, in fact, that it is dangerously getting close to doom or even death metal with more growls instead of “melodic” yelling. This growling element is most evident in the track “Architect,” a cut that starts light and soft then pushes the sound limit where their vocalist sounds like he’s dying over a sea of low detuned guitars.

Other bands in the genre usually have rough vocals, but Hull’s vocals just don’t have much of a vocal melody. Instead, it leads the listener to believe that they are just screaming over the instrumentals because they feel they have to. There is no rhyme or reason, which is why the instrumental sections become more welcome.

The nice thing about the album is that if you are not a fan of the vocals, there are plenty of instrumental passages. In fact, there are three full songs on the album—“Wanderer”, “Aesthetic” and “Vessel” that are entirely instrumental in nature. Considering that their vocals just aren’t that good, this is where Hull is at their best.

Hull no doubt is talented. They know how to play their instruments and they know how to balance heavy with soft moments with precision. Vocally, Hull is not something that is pleasant on the ears. It’s gotten to the point now where it is commonplace for vocalists to scream, but what separates the good screamers from the bad is that they know how and where to place the vocals. Simply put, they either need to learn how to correctly place their vocal melodies or be like Pelican and be entirely instrumental.

What stands out the most about Sole Lord is that, while they are better than the handful of other bands in the genre, they are not doing anything to tip the scales. Their sound is reminiscent of every other sludge/stoner band coming out of the woodwork. If this doesn't progress, in the end, it will simply make them forgettable.