EP Review – Hark! Hark! Hark! by Rebel Wizard (Prosthetic Records)

Australia’s premier exporter of heavy negative wizard metal, Rebel Wizard have released a new EP called Hark! Hark! Hark!.

The black/heavy metal band only released a brand new full length album last year with Voluptuous Worship of Rapture and Response so new music already is a bit of a treat but not unexpected . The one man project churns out music at considerable speed. The labour of love of Bob Nekrasov, Rebel Wizard formed in 2013, releasing a demo that same year. He then released 5 EPs in 2015 alone and has since released either a full length or a new EP every year.

Hark! Hark! Hark! gives us 3 new tracks to get stuck in to. If you know anything of Rebel Wizard, you will be pleased to know the fundamentals of his style are still on show here with a few little tweaks here and there. The opener is Hair, Wet Soil, Metallic Taste and is pretty much in line with Rebel Wizard’s style. Huge riffs, bold rhythms and blackened vocals combining to create a hybrid sound mixing sludge, death and traditional metal. Huge hooks and mesmerising solos create an immersive soundscape.

It’s heavy but chock full of rhythm and differs to the second track massively. Drowned by the Moisture of Hot Breath brings the chaos with pummelling riffs and drums. Vocals are screamed viciously and at pace. There is still the undercurrent of doomy rhythm and a wicked solo. A sudden stop at around 30 seconds from the end adds a surprising element in what sounds a little like a foreign language nursery rhyme. Odd but it works.

The EP closes on Floating Forward with Closed Eyes Filled with Light. A track that really just combines everything heard across the first two tracks. Huge, ripping riffs and melancholic elements. Pounding drum beats that twist from rhythmic groove to pummelling death. The guitars are dreamy, sitting almost aloof upon the bed of darker metal. There are twists on the way through the song too with a switch into a storm of crushing black metal that in turn switches into a chilled out drum section and then into a pit inducing riffing section.

Rebel Wizard has delivered another strong EP adding more quality to his already considerable back catalogue. All three songs are different and showcase different elements while sounding very true to Rebel Wizard. The guy is a bit of a genius really, managing to merge multiple genres and ideas I to a fascinating and thrilling sound that captures the listener and takes you on a an exciting journey through heavy music.

Hark! Hark! Hark! Is out now on all the usual streaming platforms. Grab yourself a copy from Rebel Wizard on Bandcamp here.

Links

Website – Bandcamp – Prosthetic Records