Album Review: Barbarian Hermit – Mean Sugar

The Breakdown

Heavy in a planet stopping kind of way, but the extremely well written, passionate and nothing short of fantastic.

– 8.8

With tracks about tipping point coin pusher machines, poor choices when camping and foot powered Singer sewing machines, Barbarian Hermit’s new album ‘Mean Sugar, has something for everyone. Just make sure you like it heavy.

The title track ‘Mean Sugar’ is huge! and it’s the perfect way to start this album off. Sonically it’s sparse with long drawn out grinding riff and a rough vocal but sounds that special kind of heavy that fans of this genre love. It hits hard, especially with Gareth Manning’s apocalyptic lyrical drumming.

‘Battle Of Kompromat’ sees the band reach show off level as Mike Regan and Adam Robertshaw intertwine there guitar lines to add a touch of melody to the dirge. Its there partnership that fatten this bands sound out. Leaving the bass and drums to keep things grounded they bust out complimentary riffs and lead work that just sit perfectly enhancing each track.

The spacey ‘Out Come The Boasts’ turns up the crushing as it bleeds into ‘Who Put 50p In You?’ Simon Scarlett delivers a stonking performance here with a voice that comes from the boots giving us a great sing along outro. The bass is throbbing on ‘Stitched Up’ which has a drop of pop in the verse beat with a sludgy chorus as the band grind out a brilliant outro.

First track written for this album, ‘Deadbolt’, is a thunderous monster with a proper head banging verse setting the scene for the rest of the tracks written. Running guitar riffs matching Scarlett’s seething vocals. Regan and Robertshaw dominate this track with some atonal wanderings as they forge one of today’s more successful guitar partnerships.

‘Kick Up The Dust’ is a psychey wonderment of loose bass strings and percussion and a Sharman like vocal. Exploding into the bands unique brand of sludge the tranquil guitar parts that poke through the barrage of metal add a touch of colour to the dirty riffing. It’s a particular highlight.

‘Stranger Than Fiction’ started life as a jingle for Northern Monk for an advert for their non-alcoholic beer, Holy Faith. Here the band have crafted something seriously cool. It’s a saga written in guitar lines and the pounding of drums. A tightly woven barrage

Featuring The Levy Chorus choir from Manchester ‘Heal The Tyrant’ opens the bands sonic walls to a raging rock track filled with notes from a higher register then most of the album. The choir add a slight demonic pairing to Scarlett’s already evil tint but this track is one solid rock song and a belter of a way to end. Once in its groove flings along you could swore Barbarian Hermit are the best band in the world. With a double tracked guitar solo and some addictive noodling Regan and Robertshaw are the new kids on the block of metal partnerships.

What the band have done with this album is blend in the heavy with more melodic and interesting notes to give sludge doom a more palatable sound. It’s still heavy as hell, but the tracks are measured, extremely well written and when played with this talent and passion, nothing short of fantastic.

Check out the title track, below