OHHMS’ ‘The Fool’ is every bit as exciting as the increasing fever pitch around this band suggested it would be. Superlatives are required in the bucket load, and synonyms for the word epic are all essential. The nice thing about this album, and indeed the band, is that they don’t play by anyone’s rules. The album registers at the hour mark, but only contains six tracks. It is a huge release for Holy Roar Records, who continue to step up their game with affiliated artists and releases.
The pounding and relentless drum introduction to side one is matched only by the pulsating war of instruments that is ‘The Magician’, epic and monumental at over eight minutes long, and incredibly only the third longest track on this release. The vocals of Paul Waller sound extremely Ozzy in places, a similarity that runs not only through the album in sound, but also in style, the occult-esque symbolism reminiscent of early Sabbath. The intrigue around this band is well and truly answered with this latest release.
There is so much to digest and absorb in each track, the relentless break down of ‘The Magician’ coolly giving way to a sludge layered doom soundscape, before the almost tortured vocal elements return, signalling this band’s arrival as innovators in modern day sludge and doom. But, and it’s a big but, don’t be fooled, this record, although skating along these aforementioned genres with abandon, is also commercially relevant and relatively mainstream.
Side two of the LP is dedicated solely to ‘The Hanged Man’, which has a sound similar to sonic pallets used by Brutality Will Prevail in their newest album, the terrifyingly eerie introduction giving way to some huge bellowing lung-fulls by Waller, and yes, this song is long too, at over 13 minutes. The track idles for a while, with a range of different sounds washing over you, from ghostly synths and guitar pedals to the lead guitar line which drops to a sound not unlike Black Peaks, the musicianship evident throughout. The end section of this track is one of the greatest moments on this album, the monotone beat is accompanied by what sounds like a bagpipe, setting this release immediately into flames. It demands repeat plays, and the idea of this band live begins to get the imagination running wild.
‘The Hierophant’ is another such track, which beggars belief in terms of its live potential as it comes in at a rather galactic 21 minutes. It is almost an album in its own right. There is nearly seven minutes of feedback and samples before the punishing groove of OHHMS – which promises to carry them far – kicks in. The groove-riden licks are delectably sumptuous before a wonderfully interwoven, smoother vocal section returns, with Waller confessing “I’m not broken…I’ve given every ounce there is to lose”.
If there is a track to reel in new punters, then the punch in the face intro of ‘The World’ is the one to do it. It is raucously controlled; the lyrics and panache of Waller are like Bourbon over ice, the crushing breakdown giving way to a sequence of noise and vocal work that is bone shatteringly good. The track ends to a long sequence of brown bass noise and a more delicate sequence of key work.
Thankfully there is some let-up from the chaos with ‘The Lovers’ providing that semblance of calm, that otherwise is missing from this LP. It is excellently placed and provides the perfect interlude to what is otherwise an album of perfectly performed doom psychedelia. The female guest vocals are sublime and help to showcase that OHHMS are a multifaceted musical project that are welcoming you along on what promises to be quite a ride. If that wasn’t enough, each release of their LP comes with three cryptically encouraging tarot cards, matching the overall occult-themed record. They have struck the perfect balance in every way. Ohm indeed.
DAVE BULL