Review Summary: The flaws stick out like a sore thumb.
Any good band is like a well-oiled machine. They need to be cohesive, all capable of performing their tasks, and well-rounded in order for the album to flourish. Hangar's debut album,
Last Time, is a textbook example of why this is the case, as there seems to be a serious disconnect between the members throughout the performance.
To be fair, the album isn't entirely bad. Upon beginning, one may be taken aback by the shoddy production, but all instrumental performances are solid and generally are somewhat catchy. Then, however, enters the vocalist. Suddenly, the album takes a monumental turn for the worse. The vocal performance on
Last Time is the cog in the machine which doesn't turn, and brings the entire work to a screeching halt. On top of the performance being just plain unappealing to the ears, the grating voice is also quite often flat and incapable of hitting the high notes set up by the song itself.
It truly does go downhill from this point. The vocal performance alone makes every track a chore to listen to, as the weak production merely exacerbates the issue. It's a shame too, as the drumming performance is pretty strong all throughout. Time is kept well, and some technical displays are showcased at certain points. The guitar work is somewhat dull, but nothing offensively bad. Tracks such as
Absinth serve as more effective demonstrations of the group's potential, as the vocalist takes a rest for most of the song, permitting the rest of the group to salvage the song.
It's definitely unfortunate to see an album with potential being brought down to an experience which is difficult to listen to based on one flaw alone. Had the vocal performance been somewhat passable, the album could have been salvageable. The other elements of the album aren't quite as glaringly weak as the voice. However,
Last Time is a case where the one flaw is so overwhelming and all-pervasive that the rest of the work becomes a struggle to enjoy.
Recommended Tracks:
Absinth
