The latest release from Hexecutioner brings out a slew of addictive and gritty doom, stoner, and sludge rock that all come with this massive and fiery sonic drive. While they deliver vast tonalities and drippy guitar riffs, they bring with them this almost cult rock underbelly and all of this creates an atmosphere that you end up getting engulfed in right from the very first track.
The Pagan Ground album has thick layers to it with textural aggressiveness, but, it comes with that expansive feel and aesthetic so there's palm-muted trudging, open cord expansiveness, and this almost haunting edge.
The vocals definitely play a part in that haunt as well as they are delivered with an air of mystery and for me, it actually brings in such a beautiful texture to the record.
I think it's that mending and mixing of textures that make this something special. I mean look, if you love sludge and doom rock, this album is completely for you because it's got ridiculous riffs blistering guitar tones, an incredibly massive sonic presence, and those vocals bring in some of that vastness and its underbelly.
Bringing those two elements, textures, and tonalities together and making it work can't be easy but for Hexecutioner, I think it just comes naturally.
One of the things I adore most about this record is the energy level. There is something about this release that feels like the whole thing was recorded live on the floor to an extent and anyone involved was feeding off each other the entire time.
The songs have that live performance feel and vibe to them so you end up listening to the record and immediately wanting to see them in a live setting.
As far as we can tell they enjoy performing live as well and have done plenty of shows but there's just something about listening to this record that makes you immediately know they're going to be killer live.
That is kind of a rarity so when you hear an album like this one that captures this particular energy and deep-rooted doom sludge so well, then you know when you go to watch them at a live show, the sound of it all will be unreal.
This record already has such a thick low end to it. Everything rumbles and you can feel that in your bones.
As the record unfolds you can hear elements of different kinds of influences here and there but all in all, this is a record that you should be listening to from beginning to end.
It's a bit of an escape. Listening to the record can quickly pull you away from wherever you are and whatever you're doing to put you into this whole other world for a moment.
This was a beautifully brutal record that combines elements of angelic haunt and deepening tonality and it all comes together with such an intense and immense soundscape that once you enter their atmosphere, you never want to leave.
Pagan Ground is an 8-track record but most of these tracks are over 6 minutes at the very least with some reaching almost 8 minutes in length.
Not only would I suggest listening to this loud but I would actually suggest you should be hearing this with headphones on. This is one of the best ways to soak in all those thick layers of sonic fuzz and grit.
This is a record you can trudge through right alongside it and it's such a good time.
At any rate, check this record out because it's well worth your time, especially if you're into well-performed doom rock. You'll be able to not only soak all these bountiful and full-bodied tracks but feel some of the theatrical undertone they give off and some of that vastness I mentioned earlier.
This was an incredible record that you need to hear all the way through.
Do it and remember where you heard it first.
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