We'll just start off by mentioning the mesmerizing cover art on display
here. It's pretty heavy, progressive and symbolic much like the music itself.
Love those colors and the vinyl package sent out by Small Stone is near
perfection.
Into Your Mind kicks off with a high
octane Sabbath inspired hook drawing a slight resemblance and ode to Ozzy in
the singing department. Rather than lump Freedom Hawk into the Sabbath wannabe
group, they sit closer into the Small Stone family of stoner rawk with arguably
a more durable, less obnoxious vocal tone than the Ozzman himself.
Seamlessly screeching
from doom-laced harmony to blues infused jams like a hawk swoops upon skittish
prey under a blood red sky. Side A
captures the listener’s attention span at full tilt.
Graceful distortion plods along at an accessible pace combining
elements of classic rock, figments of psychedelia, and boatloads of stoner rock
bliss.
Soaring melody cuts a musical groove like the Colorado River weathers
its canyon walls. Smooth as a river rock's glaze, the rich guitar tone flows
through both ears getting caught deep inside the psych as if 'Lost in Space’. Echoing within the
skull cavity's walls the reverb laced cries swirl beneath fuzzy grooves and
psychedelic jaunts.
Commanding leads march the stage like soldiers footing the front line.
Heavy metallic rock graces the arena with lyrical beauty. The moment the bridge
hammers down around the 2:35 mark on ‘On
Your Knees’ all expectations of greatness are exceedingly realized. The
muscular vocal chants and powerful rhythm induce a lethal, everlasting head
bob. The bass tone slaps your face and leaves you on your knees pleading for
more. And that's just Side-A.
Side-B of the gorgeous slab of wax spins around slinging more
hauntingly refreshing jams. Maintaining a circular orbit throughout, Freedom
Hawk has created an unbelievably catchy album with heavy groove, towering vocal
accents, and irresistible euphony. The stoner blown blues chops hover irresistibly
like a rainbow on gay.
The songs are lyrically apt, understandable, simple yet clever and
fitting to the overall vibe the album emits. "Into the blackened sky, I
hope that you will see, that all the
answers lie, Right beyond our reach,"
as belted out on the track ‘Beyond
Our Reach’ has a doomy outlook and reaffirms the fact that nobody really
knows anything, yet we are on the brink of greatness.
Warm fuzzy riffs cut the airwaves throughout like a surf board carves a
never ending pipeline. Ecstatic solo breaks drift sporadically between the fuzz
fueled chorus lines and bombastic percussion. Freedom Hawk breaks away from the
shackles of musical mediocrity and migrates deep into your mind, becoming the
pinnacle record of the 2015 Small Stone Records catalog as of mid-year.
Into Your Mind currently ranks in the top 3 albums of the year for me
and I can’t seem to stop playing it. Check the link below for a listen and
trust me when I say the Small Stone vinyl packages are top quality, simple yet admirable.
-The Huntsman
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