Crucible & Ruin by Howling Giant

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing these gents play a few times as they’ve come through town. I was a bit bummed when their last tour through town was canceled due to another band’s cancelation, or something to that affect. Anyway, here is my take on Howling Giant’s latest album, Crucible & Ruin.

By now, I’ve listened to this album about a half dozen times, though mostly while working or walking in the morning. Howling Giant leans more to the cleaner version of stoner type metal. Stoner, as in they seem to play with those type bands, and “clean” in how tight and polished they are live and on record. They’ve honed their blades, and weild them confidently.

The songs on Crucible & Ruin put off sense of hope and something to look forward to. Their music, for me, typically does. It may be in the way they structure songs, and even in the way the vocals always sound. Specifically the tone in which the vocal harmonies are executed. Maybe the songs are lyrically doomy, but I haven’t noticed. Maybe I should listen closer or look at the lyrics. Ha, I will eventually.

I haven’t decided on a favorite track for this album. It’s a hard thing to do with an album that is well thought out on how it should flow.   The song order makes it difficult to hear a standout track, and just wants me to listen to the whole thing, over and over.

I do like how the intro to Archivist is different from the rest of the tracks with the short  drum and bass start. Great pocket going on in this one.

Now, I just have to wait for them to come back through DFW to see them again. Maybe I’ll get lucky and get Stone Machine Electric to open for them.