Any doom band who bill themselves as "for fans of Baroness, Mastodon and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard" better get ready for some heavy scrutiny. Howling Giant take these comparisons in stride, confident that tracks like "Comet Rider" "Ice Castle" and "Cybermancer and the Doomsday Express" will carry them to the level they seek to be at.
There's a hint of the band's Nashville hometown on The Space Between Worlds. Without any grim aesthetic, Howling Giant instead serve up good psychedelic vibes on songs like "Nomad" and "The River Guide." It's simply good, lacking the monolithic crunch of Mastodon or the progressive highlights of Baroness. Howling Giant fit more comfortably in the nebulous "stoner psych" scene along with fellow Nashville group All Them Witches. This is obvious once they break out the acoustic guitars on "Ghost in the Well" for a welcome change of pace in what can be a slightly repetitive experience.
Howling Giant are well on their way. What they need now is a few more ideas of their own. The band sound best when they wander down more Jim Morrison-y paths, like they do on the eight-minute finale "Everlight." The songs get more room to breathe and the desired images of Dali-esque landscapes really pop in the mind. To drag that down with run-of-the-mill stoner fare like "Stone Giant" doesn't seem fair. Crank up the experimentation and leave the heavy rock to the bar bands. Howling Giant sound like they are made for more than that.
(Blues Funeral)There's a hint of the band's Nashville hometown on The Space Between Worlds. Without any grim aesthetic, Howling Giant instead serve up good psychedelic vibes on songs like "Nomad" and "The River Guide." It's simply good, lacking the monolithic crunch of Mastodon or the progressive highlights of Baroness. Howling Giant fit more comfortably in the nebulous "stoner psych" scene along with fellow Nashville group All Them Witches. This is obvious once they break out the acoustic guitars on "Ghost in the Well" for a welcome change of pace in what can be a slightly repetitive experience.
Howling Giant are well on their way. What they need now is a few more ideas of their own. The band sound best when they wander down more Jim Morrison-y paths, like they do on the eight-minute finale "Everlight." The songs get more room to breathe and the desired images of Dali-esque landscapes really pop in the mind. To drag that down with run-of-the-mill stoner fare like "Stone Giant" doesn't seem fair. Crank up the experimentation and leave the heavy rock to the bar bands. Howling Giant sound like they are made for more than that.
