Collapse

It’s been four years since Horehound’s last full-length, 2018’s Holocene, but the Pittsburgh group seems to have only ventured deeper into dark recesses with their third installment. Collapse comes with a similar mix of sludgy doom metal as its predecessor, but the musicianship has a noticeably meaner edge to it. A cavernous guitar tone allows for even thicker riffage to shine, and the vocal dynamics are pushed to even further extents; lead singer Shy Kennedy still exerts a mix of ethereal cleans and harsh shouts, but the former are sung at a lower range while the latter are more readily dispensed.

The songwriting also reinforces a sense of lessening room to breathe, reaching back to the band’s 2016 debut with its compact runtime of thirty-three minutes. The first two tracks start things off with an especially slow burn, but “Sword on Fire” reaches into Dopethrone territory with its near exclusive snarling vocals and more hustling riff set. “The Agent” and “The Rebirth” offer a lot of grungy appeal, the former especially channels some Alice in Chains vibes with its wailing vocals and monolithic guitar work.

Overall, Horehound offers a hard-hitting step forward with Collapse. While it’s initially easy to compare the album to its predecessor due to it boasting a similarly atmospheric approach, the extra hits of harshness make for a more aggressive listen overall. The shorter runtime would also make it seem underdeveloped, but it manages to be well-contained and allows for better digestion of the material itself. Holocene may still be my personal album of choice when it comes to Horehound, but Collapse deserves a listen for those who like their doom with extra heaviness and atmosphere.