Connoisseurs of the UK’s alt-rock underground are sure to have come across legendary duo Haggard Cat, whether through their connection to mathcore giants Heck or via their own decade-long career. Now, on their long-awaited third LP, The Pain That Orbits Life, the Nottingham two-piece, formed of guitarist Matt Reynolds and drummer Tom Marsh, show off plenty of new tricks while staying faithful to their heavy-riffing DNA.
Throwing the listener in at the deep end, the album’s opening track, ‘I Hate It Here’ delivers a synth-led hit unlike anything you’ve heard from Haggard Cat before. Backed by a dense layer of fuzzy synth arpeggios, Matt and Tom fly right back into their riff-heavy brand of post-hardcore tinged alternative rock with plenty of raucous energy and forceful vocals. While the synths and modern alternative guitar work are new additions to the Haggard Cat formula, the duo’s hard-rocking bones are left very much intact.
While much of The Pain That Orbits Life may sound like classic Haggard Cat, the production has clearly been ramped up a notch, sounding razor sharp and sparkling clean without losing any of the energy of the duo’s infamous live shows. Despite previously relying on more classic rock-inspired riffs, leaning closer to The White Stripes or Queens Of The Stone Age than a lot of their contemporaries, The Pain That Orbits Life cleans up Haggard Cat’s act a little, keeping the sleaze and fuzz but with a modern polish that elevates their sound. Tracks like ‘Halcyon’ and ‘Nails’ really benefit from this more focused approach, helping to separate and define the newly added layers without detracting from the duo’s ravenous approach to songwriting.
“While the synths and modern alternative guitar work are new additions to the Haggard Cat formula, the duo’s hard rocking bones are left very much intact.”
Looking at the track listing, two songs are sure to instantly leap out, while eight of the ten tracks are Haggard Cat’s usual three to five minute rock bangers ‘Apnoea’ and ‘Zion’ tower above the rest at close to eight and eleven minutes respectively. The first of these two mammoth alternative jams ‘Apnoea’, presents itself in two halves, beginning with a prog-inspired stop and start fusion of distorted guitars, synths, screamed vocals and eclectic percussion before devolving into a vicious stoner rock solo as huge sounding as anything Kyuss could ever think up.
The album’s closer ‘Zion’ builds up far more gently with an almost post-rock style build up of layered riffs leading into the first melodramatic verse, then leading the listener on an eclectic and gutsy sonic journey. The closing track of any album is an opportunity to end on a high and get any final ideas out. On ‘Zion’ Haggard Cat throw everything they have left at the wall, jumping from And So I Watch You From Afar style riffs to Queen inspired melodrama to Red Fang’s bluesy doom without missing a beat.
While Haggard Cat have put out some fantastic material throughout the last ten years of their career The Pain That Orbits Life is a real step up for the duo. Keeping their core identity of huge riffs and driving percussion intact, Haggard Cat expand into eclectic new territory with laser-focused production and plenty of new sonic tricks.