(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))): HAWAK

Tuesday 10 August 2021

HAWAK

Band: HAWAK
Genres: Punk / Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz
Related artists: Matsuri, Leer and Rene.
Country: Oakland, California U.S.A.
Years Active: 2018-present
For fans of: Ten Thousand Leagues, Nuvolascura, La Quiete, Kidcrash, Loma Prieta, Beau Navire and Tunes For Bears To Dance To.
Label(s): Self Released / Zegema Beach Records / Left Hand Label

Review by: Amy Christine

January 12, 2020:

David Norman: Whenever you want to review something just lemme know. And if you don’t have the time don’t worry I won’t pester you <3

Me: Of course! Is there anything coming up we don’t know about yet?

David: Hawak is unreal. UNREAL.

Me: I looooove Hawak and would totally write something up about them.

What followed was David sending me a wetransfer of 10 mp3 files in a folder titled: “No sharsies, except with hubby”. What followed after that was my mind being blown. I told my ‘hubby’ Cory, “This is everything I’ve wanted in a screamo band. I don’t know how anything can really top this for me.” I became increasingly more excited for the Hawak versus Gillian Carter battle set at ZBR 2020. Twenty Twenty was looking to be a great year, and I hastily wrote a review.

Then, not 2.5 months later, our lives as we once knew them changed. This review has changed. Re-reading it was like peering into a world I no longer knew. A jumble of words trying to seem smart trying to dissect the instrumentation and feel of this album within a week. With a whole year’s worth of re-visiting, I now have a bit more insight. So here it is, the COVID cut of my review of Hawak’s first full-length album, nuóc.

I think what strikes me most about nuóc, is that the mood and atmosphere is cohesive and consistent throughout the whole album. It evokes feelings of isolation, anxiety, and anger in a more deep-rooted and heavy-hearted way than most screamo albums do, where the approach is often the frantic and cathartic expression of anxiety and anger. Both deliveries have their value – and I love them both – but it’s not often we get an introspective and heavy album. It’s a breath of fresh air and frankly rather needed as we all try to figure out our lives as things “return to normal”

In terms of song writing, the same could be said. The song writing is consistent throughout the whole album. The bass and guitar tones are rich, while cleans are warm without getting into the jangly territory. The two guitarists often play off each other, while the percussion and bass continue to drive the rhythm, so songs never feel like an unbalanced riff salad. Instead, each song feels like it belongs firmly to the album, and each song fits perfectly in place. It’s more of a… riff… cake? …

In my previous review I highlighted and described the feeling and instrumentation making up the songs I really liked, but upon reflection, I failed to adequately describe them. I will not reattempt because each song is dense with many layers to dissect. So, if you have not listened to this album already, take some time to listen to this album in full.

If you had to twist my arm, ‘burden sharing’ and ‘unseen’ are highlights for me. Both evoke feelings of isolation but where ‘burden sharing’ feels quiet and contemplative, ‘unseen’ feels more like an attempt to claw of that isolation. Incredibly reflective of 2020 and as we continue into 2021.

Nuóc is a wonderful first LP. Truly a feat of emotional depth, song writing, and instrumentation, and I’m excited to see how their sound progresses.

As a final note I’ll add, I think it’s rather telling that as folks in my circles share their favourite songs, they all happen to be completely different songs. So, one can only conclude that all songs are good. This album is good. You should buy it on vinyl. Case closed.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2018 - Lift the Mist cassetteEP (stream/buy/download here)

2021 - 'nước' 12"LP (stream/buy/download here)

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(2021) HAWAK - "disinter" (from 'nước')