Nearly a year and a half after the release of their majestic fourth album This is not supposed to be positive, Paris doom-mongers HANGMAN’S CHAIR teamed up with Japan’s GREENMACHINE, a band that is just as tortured, to release a 3-track EP on MusicFearSatan.
HANGMAN’S CHAIR‘s two tracks “Give & Take” and “Can’t Talk” could have been part of their last album’s track listing, inasmuch as the vibe and sound truly follow on from This is not…‘s. Strangely enough, I’ve never agreed with the so-called 90’s and sludge influences alluded in so many articles.
Since their beginnings, the Paris outfit have developed their own crushing and dark trademark sound, and these two tracks really bring out this somber, urban aura of theirs, like the stifling soundtrack of a never-ending tragedy for the Hopeless, condemned to live in the City’s underground, unable to reach the Light nor even get their heads above water.
“Give & Take” is a Joy Division-infused despair colliding with Type O Negative’s violence, when splendid crystal-clear vocals set the pace for all instruments, so that they can all fall into place within different stages, going from absolute peace to seeming airiness, then a heaviness so bone-crushing that it’s impossible to label. So when “Can’t talk” kicks off, one would hope to hear an instrumental track or at least, a ray of hope. But that wouldn’t be worthy of the Parisian, who ram it home with a 21st century urban blues, sending you straight in the depths of the French megalopolis. These two songs leave us with a feeling of incompleteness, leaving us all eager for more… until the next one.
GREENMACHINE are next with just one track. The name may be an obvious nod to their main influences, “Red Eye” won’t feature any arid melodies for all that. Greenmachine is more like the bastard son of Acid Bath and Iron Monkey disowned by his own bong-addicted parents. Understand a hefty and filthy brand of sludge that incorporates slower, smoke-filled parts in order to keep us on tenterhooks… and get us hooked during these 11 minutes. It’s already over? Indeed, 11 minutes feel too damn short with Greenmachine.
Crate lovers may want to know that this split EP (which isn’t available for streaming yet), can be found on vinyl at Paris record shop and label Music Fear Satan.
ARTIST: HANGMAN’S CHAIR / GREENMACHINE
ALBUM: Split EP
RELEASED: 3rd March 2017
LABEL: MusicFearSatan
GENRE: Doom metal / sludge metal
MORE Hangman’s Chair / Greenmachine / Bandcamp
Last modified: 10 May 2017
