Conjuring acts like Torche, Baroness, or even Mastodon in the fusion of stoner fuzz, proggy sensibilities, and a penchant for earworms – oh, and cowbell – Nashville trio Howling Giant knows its setbacks and adjusts accordingly. However, Glass Future is a bit of a conundrum, as it focuses more than ever on vocals provided by all three members alongside its chunky riffage and creative melodic infusions. As such, there is little that changes about the core sound, with a neatly balanced blend of the three members contributing riffs, noodles, and jams aplenty. While the trio shows an ethic of “don’t fix what ain’t broken” with plenty of gusto and bright sunny vibes through a haze of smoke, it is, unfortunately, a step down from their debut in a distracting production and glaring songwriting snafus.
When Howling Giant manages to blend catchy earworms with its nimble stoner chunk, Glass Future is a blast. Tracks like “Siren Song,” “Hawk in a Hurricane,” and “Juggernaut” balance this mightily, with huge choruses uniting fuzzy riff and noodling technicality with solid melodies. Creative overlapping chord shifts guide the title track and “Sunken City” to a prog-centric effect that creates tension and spills sunlight over the whole album. More contemplative tracks grace the second half, with light-as-air sprawler “Tempest and the Liar’s Gateway” providing an enlightening drug-fueled feel and closer “There’s Time Now” offering wailing solos and contemplative doom-tinged tempos. Cowbell adds a jolt of excitement for tracks like “Hawk in a Hurricane” and “Juggernaut,” with punchy bass guiding the album’s best riff in the latter as the resounding call for MORE COWBELL is met. Once more, the transitions between riffs and passages of calm, united with neat choruses, is honed and precise – showcasing Howling Giant’s formidable song-crafting abilities.
What makes Glass Future a bit problematic is that it can’t escape the haze of smoke that dulls vocals and guitar riffs alike, due to production. While the vocals are by no means show-stopping, Howling Giant utilizes harmonies and different spotlights to guide them, and the production does no favors knocking them down a few pegs. This same effect, while favoring prominent bass and drums, dulls guitar considerably and does not achieve the tastefully crunchy effect until well into the runtime with “Sunken City” and “Juggernaut.” As such, while solid jam fests exist across the board, Howling Giant must rely almost entirely on their song structures with very few other assets, resulting in the easy highlights of blasting choruses and some instrumental flourishes. It makes it difficult then to create a solid range of tracks, when it all attacks at the same limp level. This is worsened by lesser offerings like the directionless instrumental “First Blood of Melchor” and the unmemorable “Aluminum Crown,” while closer “There’s Time Now” is simply too long. The act fights an uphill battle standing alongside established stoner acts like Kyuss and High on Fire, leaving Glass Future largely in the same stoner category of this year’s Morass of Molasses: solid but unspectacular.
“Solid but unspectacular” sounds rude, I understand that. Howling Giant deserves more, and it’s tragic that their production is the biggest thing forcing them to trip over their own feet. But when the vocal harmonies, dancing riffs, and formidable technicality are blended into one indiscernible muck across forty-two minutes, it’s hard to give Glass Future a solid recommendation. While loaded with energy and catchiness, it’s nonetheless a bit frustrating that they can outduel the mighty Sergeant Thunderhoof but end up losing to themselves.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Magnetic Eye Records
Websites: howlinggiant.com | howlinggiant.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/howlinggiant
Releases Worldwide: October 27th, 2023
