Low Flying Hawks – Fuyu
Release Date: 27th August 2021
Label: Magnetic Eye Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Post Metal, Doomgaze, Drone, Stoner, Doom, Sludge.
FFO: Jesu, Pallbearer, 40 Watt Sun.
Review By: Martha Skourteli
Low Flying Hawks, originating from Texas, are the creation of 2 guitarists known only with the names AAL and EHA. They’re not alone in this of course and the names that accompany them are not unknown. Dale Crover on drums (Melvins) and Trevor Dunn on bass (Mr Bungle) don’t need any introduction. The band’s style is post metal/ doomgaze with a good drone, stoner frame.
Guest musicians:
Violins: Martha Domínguez Henkel, Luis Sergio Hernández
Cellos: Luz del Carmen Pastor, Valentín Mirkov
Opera singer: Martha Domínguez Henkel
Fuyu is the closure of a trilogy that is based on the myth of Sisyphos (Greek mythology), King of Corinth who was punished by the Olympian gods for acting against their will. His punishment was to eternally push a boulder up on a hill and when reaching the top the boulder to roll down again.
Low Flying Hawks started this journey in 2016 with the release of Kõfuku (the Japanese term for “surrendering to what is happening”) passing the message “just try to be happy with what you’re given”.
The second part of this trilogy was Genkaku which was released in 2017. Genkaku means hallucinations and in this album the idea was the understanding growing through confusion.
With Fuyu the band ends the journey with an album that expresses the struggle of life itself. We try too hard throughout our life to push ourselves to reach the top and achieve our goals endlessly. Sad but true! Still, we should enjoy the trip and all our effort instead of caring too much about the destination and the happiness that may never come.
Kuro is the intro song that gives you a chaotic feeling with the heaviest unbearably slow tune that probably plays on and on in the depths of Hades where Sisyphos’ torture takes place. Just picture him pushing his boulder and every note in this intro is one move he’s struggling to make.
Subatomic Sphere has a very Sabbathy catchy sound that sticks in your head and you’ll probably find your brain playing that over and over again without even thinking about it. For me it’s the highlight of the album.
Monster. Not sure if it’s me but it felt like Kurt Cobsin was somewhere near listening to this and liking it. Last couple of minutes are definitely monstrous in a good way.
Midnight. A nice slow song that brings some calmness in your thoughts with the guitar massaging your brain. A dreamy atmosphere that gives you a breath after the orgasmic end of the previous song.
Fuyu. Strong change again (it’s very interesting how you move from top to bottom and back to the top in seconds while listening) with the album title song removing the calmness and bringing a storm to your heart and ears.
6.25 minutes of “winter” that fuyu means and surely enough the sound can be related to winter. The specific song is like it’s taking you up and down in a pattern that probably resembles the beating heart of someone who struggles and fights and that’s repeated again and again. A bit monotonous? Maybe you’d think it is but it works great to pass to the next song so before judging wait to hear what’s coming!
Darklands. This is like the next step to wrap up Fuyu in a calming, once again, sound in a way you wouldn’t expect. I’m not saying more, just listen. Note that there is a very nice violin offering that extra beauty a violin always brings.
Solar Wind. Another calm and slowing down song for the listener. Here we have a melody that would probably place you in a hammock near the sea looking at a beautiful summer sunset and thinking about the good little things in life, in other words appreciating the trip instead of worrying about the destination. Here we just escape from winter….for a while.
Caustic Wing. Back to the heaviness after the previous break and back to the atmosphere of the album with a guitar crescendo occupying the last 4 minutes of the song!! Like the lyric says “Lost all control”! Here’s the loss of control at 6.20 and the listener comes across the point where the only option is just letting all feelings flood and let some absolutely necessary head-banging happen as uncontrollably as one wishes (nobody’s watching anyway and even if they are, just ignore them).
Winter Star. The song I’d play in a radio station together with Subatomic Sphere, as simple as that!
Nightrider. The longest song is a ride of 13+ minutes of good thick heaviness that ends the album with a nice atmospheric closing.
Apart from the guitars that are like the foundations of the entire building, I must admit I love the sound of drums throughout the whole album that adds to the heaviness when it’s necessary, while leading the rhythm to the right path. In any case these guys make very interesting music that didn’t disappoint me for one second. Although I’m a big fan of more extreme sounds I did enjoy listening to this album way more than I expected.
Depending on how strong is your will to look deep into yourself and how much you appreciate your life, Low Flying Hawks give you the soundtrack to play while diving in your soul to analyze things while trying to find the reason why you should enjoy your personal trip. Whatever the volume of enjoyment, just take it!
(4 / 5)
