Floodhag/Lust Hag – Hagridden Black Metal – Split (Review)

This is a split between two US solo black metal bands, Floodhag and Lust Hag.

Opening the split is Floodhag, offering up three songs, with a total duration of 12 minutes.

Smiling Gravely Beneath the Sea begins as a dungeon synth piece with an 80s feel, before morphing into a punky raw black metal number that rumbles along with effortless charisma. It has an obvious Darkthrone-esque aspect, (or perhaps a more modern reference like Miasmes), but with some eerie enhancements that belong all to itself.

Ably demonstrating that the effectiveness of its predecessor wasn’t a one-off, the next song  – Call up a Storm – also has an instant character that’s very likeable. It starts and ends as a slower, moodier affair, awash with macabre atmosphere and the feeling of creeping horror, with a punky blackened groove in the middle. The song has a some rock ‘n’ roll flavour too in places.

Closing with Hell Is High Water, those older rock influences can be heard again here and there, enmeshed in the music’s blackened whole. Atmospheric, but with bite, it’s another solid track from Floodhag.

Lust Hag is up next, and it’s always great to hear some new material from this talented artist. Delivering 2 songs across 13 minutes, it’s time to enter the vampyric world of Lust Hag once more.

The first song is the 7-minute Ritualistic Tunnels of Cavernous Shelter, and I’m pleased to say that Lust Hag’s winning streak has not yet come to an end. Balancing raw harshness with ghoulish atmosphere, the song is a well-crafted slice of darkness with a grim-yet-upbeat presence.

The split ends with the 6-minute Flock of Bats, which continues the feel of the preceding song, only with a more aggressive tone. Despite this, it shares its predecessor’s almost-jaunty atmospherics and reinforces them, while also offering a powerful underpinning foundation on which to cast its dark spells. Additionally – I like the use of growls in the song too.

I do enjoy a good split, and this one qualifies for sure. Make sure you check this out if you’re in the market for some underground black metal.