Death Hawks is a Finnish four-piece psychedelic rock band who have broadened their horizons even wider with their third album Sun Future Moon that will be released next week on LP and CD by Svart Records. Spiritual/astrological/occult themes seem to be more important nowadays, maybe due to singer/guitarist Teemu Markkula also playing in even more esoteric hard psych rock band Seremonia...
The new album sounds fresh, airy and has lots of space. I don't know exactly why, but I think it sounds and feels very 80s in a positive way. There are no early 70s styled folk rock pieces here, mainly up-beat, spacey and hypnotic psych/kraut pop rock. The album starts off with the atmospheric, light and dreamy "Hey Ya Sun Ra 2". The spacey synth sounds add to the "out-there" vibe. I'm already addicted and in deep trance... "Ripe Fruits" could be a lighter Circle or Rättö ja Lehtisalo track and has that driving, motorik kraut rock thing going on that keeps you mesmerized and almost forces you to dance. There's also alittle bit of saxophone by the keyboard player Tenho Mattila. Great! "Dream Machine" reminds me of a bit of 80s Hawkwind or Blue Öyster Cult which is only a good thing in this Astral Zone. There are also some female backing vocals. Another hypnotic master piece. The digital single and video track "Behind Thyme" is an excellent slice of melodic, dreamy psych pop with a very cool repetitive guitar melody and could indeed win bigger audiences for the band still pleasing the psych heads as well. On the melancholic "Seaweed" the band slows things down. This emotional instrumental sounds like a soundtrack to some forgotten early 80s sci-fi movie. "Dream Life, Waking Life" includes even more 80s vibes with the jazzy, soulful beat, effected guitar, lush keyboard layers etc. although the spoken word part sounds like a very stoned Jim Morrison. Very interesting and groovy! The next number "Heed the Calling" even has some 80s World Music elements. Have they gone too far now? You decide. The mostly instrumental "Wing Wah" continues the 80s frenzy with lots of keyboards and melodies that sound like they were loaned from a Jan Hammer album... "Future Moon 3" is a peaceful and moody number with just some guitar and vocals. The album is finished with the pretty mellow "Friend of Joy" that is the closest the band goes to early 70s and folk rock this time. I got to say that Death Hawks is one of the most interesting and best bands in Finland at the moment and nobody else is doing music exactly like this around here, so buy their albums and go to their gigs if you can! Can't wait to see them on their tour with Circle...
www.deathhawks.com
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