The Hyena Kill – ‘Atomised’ [Review]
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Let’s get the lazy comparison part of this review out of the way first. To my ears, on Atomised The Hyena Kill often sound like the next Royal Blood.
But, at the same time, that tag alone doesn’t do them justice.
The Hyena Kill – comprised of guitarist/vocalist Steven Dobb and pneumatic-limbed drummer Lorna Blundell – deal in hectic, raw, vitally energetic and punk-edged rock songs. Atomised sounds monolithic, a feral and furious amalgamation of explosive riffs, primal beats, and aggressively vulnerable vocals. The Hyena Kill constantly dance around the line between pure, uncompromising, piss-in-your-face intensity and soul-baring emotional outbursts – and they do it at a world-class level.
Fans of Queens Of The Stone Age and Helmet will find themselves at home in the company of The Hyena Kill as the latter bust out the ballsy blues-infected strutter Choke; the gutsy Crosses (given a solid backbone by Lorna Blundell’s potent and tasty drum work); the cognitive-circle-pit-sparking Erase You; and signature song Still Sick after opening Atomised with its languidly seething title track.
Tongue Tied is a four-minute battle cry, seeing Steven Dobb go to war against an army of internal demons; The Waiting Room flies under the radar, building from Deftones-esque atmospherics into cliff-climbing verticality cut short right at the most uncomfortable moment; and Your Loss moves back into Royal Blood territory as The Hyena Kill give the past the finger and move into the future.
Overall, Atomised is a borderline apocalyptic debut from a band who have given their all in the name of making a name for themselves. The Hyena Kill absolutely deserve all the success in the world on the back of this album. It. Is. Stunning.
Get into it as soon as you possibly can.
TMMP RATING: 96%
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