Album Review: Once Human - Scar Weaver
Reviewed by Paul Hitchings
The third release from Once Human, ‘Scar Weaver’ follows on from 2015’s debut ‘The Life I Remember’, and 2017’s conceptual ‘Evolution’. It’s immediately apparent that the band is itching to get back into the spotlight, for this album strains every nerve and sinew from start to finish. The band formed by guitarist Logan Mader is completed by vocalist Lauren Hart, long-time bassist Damien Rainaud, drummer Dillon Trollope and second guitarist Max Karon.
‘Scar Weaver’ opens with a frantic tempo in the form of ‘Eidolon’, a brute of a track which bristles with aggression, pulsing bass, blast beats and Hart’s brutal vocal roar that is hellish in nearly every form. It’s a combination of hardcore nu-metal with a modern metal edge, jagged and angular riffing and dynamic time changes that veer close to the metalcore line.
After a fiery introduction, the title track brings a slight element of sludge to the proceedings with a slower, grinding feel. The vocals are unnerving, uncomfortable, and visceral. Hart screams and roars like someone possessed. It fits with the overall feel of the album, and on this track with its semi-industrial style works particularly well. There’s a more progressive side to ‘Bottom Feeder’ which follows, Hart spreading her vocals wider and whilst the pounding is relentless, there is more to explore here, with the refrain ensuring that a final pummelling is delivered.
There is an anthemic quality to Once Human’s music. It’s intense, bruising, and aggressive but also contemporary. It is genuine modern metal and whether you like it or not, there’s no doubting that this is a well defined and resolute genre. Hart is one of the current generation of female growlers and she’s amongst the best. Her delivery is up there with the brutal delivery of the likes of Larissa Stupar, Alissa White Gluz and Infected Rain’s Lena Scissorhands. Hart’s integration of cleans on ‘Erasure and ‘Deserted’ also bring some balance and brief respite, and impressively, they work superbly well
There are riffs galore on ‘Scar Weaver’, blended with a variety of tempos. The sheer punishing power of ‘We Ride’ sees Once Human blend death, groove, and industrial metal into a huge melting pot of chaos. The pace is inhuman, almost power metal in speed but that’s where the comparisons end, The rest is sheer brute force and muscular drive, and it skirts the boundaries of death, thrash and metalcore with abandon.
‘Scar Weaver’ as you might expect, draws from the current worldwide position, with tracks covering a wide range of topics that include pain, trauma, and darkness. The rawness of the earlier albums remains with that pulsating bass line constantly boxing the grey matter, Meshuggah style. Having got to this point in the review, you’ll probably breath a sigh of relief that I hadn’t mentioned Machine Head yet. Well, fret no more, for Mr Flynn adds some typically meaty singing on second track ‘Deadlock’.
This is an album that is both instant in its “in your face” appeal and yet demands time to spend with it. It’s also a grower that builds, with a neat pace throughout the album. Whichever way you take it, this is a passionate, energetic release that works from beginning to the final groove-drenched finale of ‘Only in Death’. It won’t appeal to purists, but if you approach with an open mind, ‘Scar Weaver’ may well prove to be an enjoyable ride.
