This review is going to break from the normal narrative we normally use here at Ghost Cult, where we steer away from how we feel personally about an album and try to stick to objective facts since Hangman’s Chair is one of my favorite bands. If you think that this will be a gushing love letter only fueled by my fandom, let’s correct that notion. My favorite bands are held to a much higher standard. My expectations here are exalted since I am emotionally invested in them.
Saddiction (Nuclear Blast Records) is the band’s seventh album and continues the progression of their sound from a doom band into something that might be described to someone who only knows mainstream music by saying they are now like A Perfect Circle if Maynard James Keenan and friends were a metal band obsessed with the things that make them depressed.
The album opens with a sonic pounding counterbalanced by the trademark passion of the vocals. The hard-edged drive ebbs down into a more depressive introspection as the rollercoaster of the album’s dynamic sets in motion. Some interesting production choices in this often reverb-heavy recording are best played loudly through headphones to take this album in with maximum effect. “The Worst is Yet to Come” keeps on foot planted on big power chords dripping with the inner turmoil until they deeper into morbid reflection on “In Disguise” which gives you a better taste of the pleading tenor that characterizes Cedric’s voice.
Lead single “Kowloon Lights” fits well within the context of the album as it ventures the more post-punk side of rock n roll with great guitar tones painting the most downtrodden landscape that you could use to romanticize suicidal idealization. This also serves as a clear example of what I want from music. If the question of “What kind of music does Wil like?” arises, the question of “Does it sound like the Cure playing metal?” is always the litmus test. They brood further with .”2AM Thoughts” as DOOL lends their voice to the second verse. Growing ever bleaker – “Canvas” is a bleak ballad that builds in power as it churns forward, a similar formula but with more drastic dynamic shifts occurs in “Neglect” that follows.
They do a good job of blending Shoegaze with Doom, as they take any hopeful sentiments out of the equation. They allow for emotional heaviness to prove itself as being just as effective as being heavy in the more metallic sense. Things are summed up regarding the mood of this album by the question mark at the end of “Healed?” this is reflected in the lyrics, but even if you could not understand this French man’s English, the message conveyed comes across in how these songs are sung. I have rounded down the score listed below to remove my bias toward this band in my review, but if you are someone who also tries to live their life without the benefits of prescription medication, this album should be taken as a replacement for such drugs handed down by Big Pharma.
Buy the album here:
https://hangmanschair.bandcamp.com/album/saddiction
9 / 10
WIL CIFER
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