Album Review: Hippie Death Cult - Circle of Days
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
My first encounter with the quartet from Portland, Oregon with their second album, ‘Circle of Days’ proved to be an immensely enjoyable encounter. I was expecting, long, stumbling stoner passages and I wasn’t disappointed, but I don’t mean that to come across as a derogatory remark in anyway. Unlike some bands of this expansive genre who sometimes baffle with excessive fuzz, Hippie Death Cult take it down, play it cool and allow you to sit back and enjoy the ride.
The mid-tempo approach is welcomed, as it’s not all thick riffs and driving aggression but a more laid back yet no less effective approach. There’s ample Sabbath tucked away here, but with a neat, psychedelic flavour. Plenty of cowbell on the opener, ‘Red Meat Tricks’, alongside Ben Jackson’s sonic vocals and luscious keyboards that lurk underneath Laura Phillips’ thick bass lines. That leaves it to Ryan Moore to hold the beat whilst Eddie Brnabic does what all stoner guitarists do – takes his own path within the confines of the song. It’s a deep, delicious journey that unwinds with a smouldering, unhurried burn which pulls you closer in as the song progresses.
A mellower approach finds the middle of ‘Hornet Party’ swaying gently in the breeze, swirling, space rock keyboards add beef before a crashing riff kicks off a rather fine pace with screams, battering drumming, intensive bass lines and some splendid guitar work. The tempo dips in and out, challenging the listener to forecast direction of travel; it genuinely does sound like those yellow and black bastards passing round the beer and cake. It’s also demonstration that Hippie Death Cult have some nuts as well.
The change in feel on ‘Walk Within’, dominated by the dual vocals, keyboards and gentle percussion is dramatic. It’s almost a stroll through a spring garden but with a slightly unnerving edge as the track develops. And there’s nothing like a bit of discomfort to keep you on track.
Although there are only five tracks on this album, the final two take up over 50% with the title track and ‘Eye in the Sky’ matching each other second for second at just shy of ten minutes each. Both are excellent musical work outs, highlighting the talent on show here. Brnabic’s guitar work takes centre stage on both songs but there is so much more to enjoy. I use the word epic too often in my reviews, but ‘Eye in the Sky’ genuinely is a piece of gargantuan proportions. The opening segment reminiscent of Zeppelin at their pomp, whilst the shift of gear and tempo in the second half of the song is fantastic and a majestic way to conclude an album that is one of my highlights of 2021.
