Habu "Distant Thunder" <REVIEW>
“… it’s a great album with some great tunes that you’ll be singing for days…”
Distant Thunder isn’t the name of an album, its the sound that Taco Bell employees describe hearing coming from their location’s bathrooms, especially if I’m there. Habu is a 3-piece progressive rock band from the UK. They’ve been around for nearly 8 years, and have released 2 albums in that time. They’ve also played with a few big names like Uli Jon Roth and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. They now have a third album coming out this weekend. Actually, it’s out tomorrow. I managed to get early access to this album as part of a request from the band’s PR agent, and sexy man award winner Curtis Dewar. But with all the pleasantries out of the way, let’s address the elephant in the room… Distant Thunder. Does this blow away the competition with it’s lightning-like force? Or is it time for the Taco Bell employees to get ready for a Chernobyl like clean-up? Let’s not waste much more time, let’s get straight into it.
Already kicking things off with the opening track “Whirlwind” and I’m beginning to have a slight problem. Nothing against the music what so ever, in fact I’m enjoying what I’m hearing. The melodies from vocalist/bassist Alex Body are infectiously catchy, and his basslines are silky smooth with how they outline each progression (like… you know… progressive music), the other Alex behind the kit is also laying down some grooves that are reminiscent of the late Neil Peart, and Andy Clarke’s guitar work is both translucent and epic. And that trend continues on tracks like the insane, off the wall sound of “Panorama”, the Ghost-like stomp of “These Walls”, and the ‘Sure, this can exist’ track of “Nuke The Moon”. Really, the album is a lot of fun from front to back. I think it’s safe to say that Habu are very talented musicians who know their way around a hook or to, as well as being able to fly off the hinges every once in a while… so what’s the problem?
Well the thing is… I’m writing this review for a metal site. This is called “METAL Robot Reviews” afterall, and I’m listening to the music with the mind set of not only a metal critic, but also an average metal listener… and the music Habu seem to be creating… turns out to NOT be metal. I KNOW! I KNOW! Terrible is thy crime that I haveth committed! Send me to the gallows and off with my head for the poser I am! … well, not so much.
I went into this album multiple times with different goals (something I don’t do often, though I really should), and different intentions. The first couple times I wanted to approach this as a metal head looking for a quick progressive metal fix. Maybe something that bands like Dream Theater or Queensryche can provide. The next couple times, I tried at the angle of JUST a prog fan, hoping to get a Rush 2.0 effect or something (bit of a long shot, but you never know). Then finally, I went in to approach Distant Thunder a few more times as an average listener, just someone channel surfing looking for something to listen to in passing. And here’s overall what I felt:
As a casual listener:
If I wasn’t looking to over analyze, I can easily say that this is something fun to listen to, and something you can’t turn your brain off to at the same time. If you’re thinking you can listen to Habu music the same way you watch paint dry, you’ll need to rethink your strategy, cause this thing will FUCK. YOU. UP. On the other hand, it’s not like Thank You, Scientist or Tool where your attention is required at all times. And no matter which way you listen to it, it’s still a fun listen. It’s sort of like that one time you listened to Pink Floyd while stoned out of your mind, but with a bit more energy laced throughout.
As a Prog-head
As someone who loves metal, I also love me a lot of progressive music. Bands like Rush, Queensryche, Dream Theater and even modern day Opeth are some of my top goto’s when it comes to listening to ANYTHING, as the genre usually produces some of the most intricate and interesting pieces of music you wouldn’t get out of your average Metallica song. And Habu deliver on that front as well. Like I mentioned, they REALLY resemble Rush in more ways than one. It’s safe to say that they might as well have created this band in a lab with samples of their DNA… which would be awesome. So if the previous two personalities describe you, then this is something you can probably get down with… but…
As a Metal-Head
Yeah, it’s safe to say this might not be your thing if this is your camp. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of metal-heads who love this stuff and have no problems listening to it. But if you’re the kind of person that thinks Opeth died when they released Heritage or if you prefer your vocalists like your guitar tones (deafening screams) then Habu’s Distant Thunder is going to give you some major Whiplash. Again, this might not apply to you, but I’m giving you a heads up, this is pretty far out of the usual affair we cover on this site.
So yeah, Habu’s music is one I wasn’t expecting to get super-analytical over, but in a way I’m glad that I did. Because overall, while this might not be everybody’s thing, it’s a great album with some great tunes that you’ll be singing for days. I think Prog fans will love it, and maybe even the casual listener who likes hearing Rush on the radio over and over again. Distant Thunder isn’t an album for metal-heads who like their one and only type of whiskey, but as a metal-head who’s been through almost every sub-genre of metal and does enjoy music outside of the genre, I can recommend this if you’re open to it. Habu brought the Lightning, but it’s thunder might not be so distant afterall.
13.5/15
… because I’m currently writing this from a Taco Bell, and that’s how many hours I’ve been here. They’re trying to get me out, but I’d rather die in my own shit then to get it anywhere in my car.
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