Marshall stacks were made for bands like this. Painfully loud, obnoxiously catchy, and somewhat tribal in their melodiousness, this is one exceptional Stoner Metal band. Although they sound similar to Sleep, Serial Hawk surpasses them in darkness and brutality. They have abandoned the twangy psychedelic riffs of old school Stoner Doom in favor of more sinister guitar hooks. Similarly, the subtle darkness that characterized the Stoner Metal of yesteryear has evolved to vivid lyrics that are just plain relentless. The lurid imagery leaves little unsaid: “Hands and feet are tied, he’s been dead some time. Silence means nothing.”
Although the vocals are harsh, they are not gutteral. They are very primal sounding, almost animalistic. I imagine this is what it would sound like if you awoke a sleeping beast, or maybe if you stumbled upon a Lovecraftian Elder God.
The melodies themselves are very primitive and ancient sounding. The overall effect is reminiscent of perfectly preserved mummies found in bogs, Mayan ritual sacrifices, and other creepy historical shit. If these comparisons are going over your head, maybe you need to take a hit or two before listening. Don’t get me wrong, Serial Hawk is talented enough to keep the most stone-cold sober straight-edge punk entertained. However, I must admit that getting high as a kite enhances the experience.
They have their own website, but you can also check them out on Reverbnation, Bandcamp, and Facebook. Their EP is available for purchase, which is a steal at only $10.
What’s not to love? I give them five stars outta five.
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