Low Flying Hawks - Genkaku

Low Flying Hawks
Genkaku
Magnetic Eye Records

Low Flying Hawks are slipping into the sludge and unweaving riff after riff of fuzz induced harmony on Genkaku. The album creeps like a leviathan of doom and groove with moments of eye opening clarity that dip into spiritual awakening across every song. Magnetic Eye Records are releasing a treasure for doom gaze in the later half of this decade.

Lyrically the songwriting is really able to capture what feelings the music is reflecting, and you may catch that minutes into the first track "Smile". As the world turns in on itself in a tragedy of realities that would seem more fitting in a nightmarish dream, one must survive beat after harrowing beat, and I think that the band captured that in the opening track.

The drumming provided by Dale Crover (The Melvins) tops off what Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle) implements with serene melody; the musical gifts of each member come out naturally, soaking the listener into a vortex of adhesive music that does not easily let go. The same hypnotic brilliant composition that Dunn delivers in Mr. Bungle (with tracks like "Slowy Growing Deaf" and "Vanity Fair") is evident throughout the album.

Sulky but potent blues, Genkaku is pure noir overlapped by the modern ambiance of sonic technology. The music is a scathing and kinetic powerhouse made by two of the most respected artists in the community.

Dunn teases with vocal Low homages to Mr. Bungle sporadically throughout the track, but nowhere more evident than "Twilight."

"Sinister Waves" sends Genkaku off with an ominous conclusion. Wherever Low Flying Hawks fly off to, at the end of this track they close the book on an album that is fruitful with enchanting and ghostly harmonics. In its final waves, Genkaku lays melancholy notes of righteousness that will ripple through your head for quite some time. Genkaku comes out on August 23rd, which is exactly my birthday, and if you catch this in time and want to hook me up upon reading this self-gratuitous plug, then this doom goblin would be eternally grateful.