Doom metal is, without a doubt, one of the most important subgenres in the history of extreme music. We all know the story of how Tony Iommi lost his finger in a work-related accident, tuning his guitar lower to make it easier to play, something that literally started the low-tuning madness we have today (in which I'm proudly participating in my own projects). You may love it or hate it, but its influence is not only in giving us some of rock's biggest legends, but also in setting the standard for how metal should sound: distorted, aggressive, and almost depraved.
Years passed, and many, many styles were born of this supernova of pure darkness, one of the most peculiar being folk metal. Mixing the traditional music of your city/state/country/ with heavy metal? Hell yeah, said most nerdy metalheads. You can find many variants of this niche subgenre, going from your typical medieval European folk to the weeb-appealing, Japanese-influenced ones, but not as interesting and mind-blowing as Hush Now, the newest album by Buzzard.
Mixing the roots of extreme metal with the folk sound popularized by Bob Dylan, this LP brings you a sonic experience that feels so close to home yet really far. Mixing the grassroots, almost outlaw country perspective of a decaying working-class town with the impending doom (hehe) of the Lovecraftian mythos, this release tackles the reality of the world with a sense of eerie that feels fresh yet so traditional.
The opening track, Disunion, goes directly to the point, setting the scene for all the topics I previously mentioned. Dragging us to the point of no return, the slow, chugging riffs are an appetizer for this feast of madness we are forced to participate in. As each track passes, the album's folk aspects become increasingly notable. Almost halfway through the playlist, Knock on the Door starts to show an openly critical and strong message mixed with beautiful, clean guitars and really strong lyrics, applicable to the current persecution so many people are going through right now in the dystopia we live in. From this point on, the general ambiance becomes much darker, with songs sounding as if The Wizard by Black Sabbath was based not on Gandalf, but on Sauron itself. An oppressive air fills the atmosphere, and change becomes almost impossible to imagine in this world destined to be consumed by the greed of those in power; even more vicious and scary than any form of eldritch horror.
And without even realizing, you start listening to Take Comfort. What is more heartbreaking than the idea that the only way you can find peace and tranquility on this dying planet is that someday the sun will explode? The track explores this wicked form of optimism with the most beautiful instrumentalization in the form of pianos, strings, and acoustic guitars, accompanied by a voice that feels more like a lullaby sung by a tired father rather than something you would expect in your typical metal ballad.
And the last track. Oh, the last track...
Doomsayer Fairy Tale is a masterpiece. How can you finish an album mixing doom and folk? Well, doing exactly that, but in an epic, soul-crushing way that is capable of making you headbang and cry at the same time. The storytelling of your typical old-timey fable is hijacked by an angry narrator using the fairy tales we listened to as kids as a way to show how unfair and cruel society can be, while at the same time keeping a small bit of hope in the face of adversity. Yes, everybody may die in this story, but will this stop us from trying? Hell no!
Hush Now is one of the best metal releases of the year, if not the best. While I may be biased because I am fascinated with the whole NOLA sludge scene, this album is something that I recommend to everyone; even if you are not into this kind of music, you don't wanna pass on this instant classic that fills you with nostalgia while surprising you with how amazingly written it is, going back to the basics without falling into being a lazy copycat. The lyrics are also a high point of the project, being unapologetically political and aligned with the working class; it fights the status quo with a mix of tradition and progression that not many can handle correctly. The direction in which Buzzard takes things is just out of this world, coming from a distant star that brings doom to all humankind...
Do yourself a favor and listen to what is going to be my number one album for listening while programming and drawing for at least a couple of months. I already listened to it 4 times, but I gotta do it again, and again, and once more for good measure. Simply fantastic release!
