Once Human – Scar Weaver | Album Review

Melodic metallers Once Human have a lot to prove. At least, that’s the impression latest album Scar Weaver gives off. The band have been away from eardrums with any new material for five years, but in that time they’ve honed in on what it is they want to be and what they need to say before returning with a vengeance. Scar Weaver exudes confidence and self-assuredness, carving itself out a niche in modern metal that doesn’t quite sound like anyone else. 

The band waste no time in showing they mean business, with opener ‘Eidolon’ boasting riffs that churn and bludgeon while vocalist Lauren Hart roars atop. Switching between guttural bellows and more pitched screams, there’s a sense of melodicism even amongst the brutality. ‘Deadlock’ boasts a collaboration with none other than Machine Head’s Robb Flynn as he offers his gruff barks and almost rapped delivery in an indictment of political deadlock and politicians. What he lacks in lyrical grace is more than made up for in attitude, the nu-metal groove and bounce of the song powering it forwards. 

A common theme throughout is the somewhat djenty, never overly-technical guitar work, that offers some complexity and chug while ensuring there’s no lack of searing leads or melodic breaks. Not only that but Hart turns in a career-best performance, the time off clearly having been used to push herself vocally to new heights (and depths). In ‘Bottom Feeder’, for instance, she exercises a more melodic, though still gritty range, befitting of its Gothenburg melodeath-inspired leads and atmosphere. The title track itself showcases a far more guttural side, with deeper lows taking precedence with the chorus offering brief flashes of melody. 

From an already-compelling opening run, things remain just as consistent and in-your-face; ‘Where The Bones Lie’ closes the first half with thunderous drumming and a warped sense of melody. ‘We Ride’ sounds almost as demented as Strapping Young Lad as it twists and turns with malevolent glee; Hart even almost morphs into Devin Townsend himself in a moment of maddened fury. The album closes with the twin hitters of ‘Cold Arrival’ and ‘Only In Death’, the former opening with a soaring lead and boasting a giant, stadium-sized chorus while the latter alternates between slower grooves and barrages of serrated guitars and throat-lacerating screams. 

While Hart is absolutely the star of the show with her distinctive voice and incredible versatility, guitarists Logan Mader (ex-Machine Head) and Max Karon have a serious amount of riffs at their disposal, with melodeath sitting alongside nu-metal bounce. All the while they’re underpinned by the understated, but no less effective, drumming from Dillon Trollope that switches from frenetic batterings to slower rhythms with ease, and the punchy, rumbling bass of Damien Ralnaud who together give much of the album its distinctive rhythmic foundation. 

Scar Weaver was beset by pandemic-inflicted delays but it’s made all the stronger for it; the band sound tighter than ever before and there’s a sense of cohesion that while wasn’t necessarily lacking on previous efforts, is noticeably improved here. Once more, Once Human have offered proof that they’re sure to be one of modern metal’s most interesting and exciting bands.