Immortal Hazard, “Convulsion” (2014)
The first thing that struck me about Immortal Hazard’s 2014
release “Convulsion” is how physiological the sound is. As I listened I felt
like I was jumping around, slamming in to other peoples’ bodies. “Convulsion”
has an incredible presence—it feels like you’re at the show and Immoral Hazard
yelling at you to move or be crushed.
The sound on this album is heavy and melodic, full of
predictable transitions from a rhythmic beat to a guitar solo; or from a
chugging staccato verse, to a powerful chorus. In other words, this album
delivers a satisfying rock out. Track two “Reborn” most clearly and eloquently
exemplifies what strikes me most about this album: Power, Build Up, and
Release.
Immoral Hazard sets up excellent riffs and builds on them as
the songs progress. As in, that simple, heavy beat that starts the song
develops throughout in to something heavier and more pleasurable in its
complexity.
The predominant feature of this album that I think sets it
apart from other testosterone-filled thrashy, old school Metal albums is it’s
presence. Something about this album is very intimate and in-your-face. The
more I listen, the more I feel that this experience of intimacy and being-there
is conditioned by the rawness Teo’s vocals. They are aggressive in their
screaming but allow an almost vulnerable air in that he’s not quite screaming
at us, and could be serenading listeners with genuine feelings. Just because
it’s heavy, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have feelings.
The bass of Alex was lost in the background in my first
listen to “Convulsion” but as I tuned my ear on the second and third (and
forth) listens, I started to realize the balancing qualities that hold the
super distorted guitars of Teo and Angelos in balance. This is a sound of
finite but multiple factors reinforcing each other.
The drums of Tolis play an immeasurable role in keeping
“Convulsion”’s sound in a single piece. Under screeching solos and chugging
brutality, to the moments of softness and vulnerability, listeners need only
look to the drums for how to feel.
On the whole each of the 10 tracks on “Convulsion” delivers
an aggressive acting out of excitement and physiology. Even if you were sitting
and typing through the whole album, by the time it’s over you’ll feel like
you’re walking out of a mosh pit.
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