All-female bands are a rarity in music, let alone metal, so when there is a band that features all female members, naturally the notoriety for that band is based solely on that fact and not the music.  This is the quandary that has faced the Japanese duo of Gallhammer ever since they formed in 2003.  When the 2007 album Ill Innocence came out, it appeared that Gallhammer was going to break from those preconceived notions with their unique blend of doom metal and crust.  However, a fairly prolonged break, which saw the band go from a trio (when they started as a band) to what they are now, has some tempering expectations for the latest album The End.

The End is Gallhammer’s third album and their first as a duo.  The song titles can be considered weird to the average listener, with titles such as “Rubbish CG202” and “108=7/T-NA.”  However, the band’s music has placed a greater emphasis on the doom metal side of things, which seemingly stripped the band of some of its identity.  Outside of “Aberration” and “Sober,” which feature a punk element to their sound that they have been known for, as well as the high-pitched singing, most of the songs have the feeling of walking through knee-high swamp lands, meaning that it can be a chore just to listen to a song on the album.   The first two tracks on the album, the title track and “Rubbish CG202,” are lacking in the sense that there just simply isn’t something to establish identity with the songs.  While it is difficult to distinguish the two songs, as they essentially sound the same, the real problem lies within the last two songs, which also happen to be the longest songs on the album.  Comprising nearly half of The End’s running time, it sounds like an eternity going through the two tracks that simply don’t have much going on in the songs outside of the occasional growl over the same doom laden riffs that lack emotion.  Aside from “Aberration” and “Sober,” which are the two standout tracks on the album, there just isn’t much to gain from the new Gallhammer album.

Expectations were certainly high for Gallhammer after Ill Innocence, but after listening to their latest offering The End, to say that it was a letdown would be an understatement.  The End simply never gets off the ground, instead preferring to try and keep the listener in a trance, but forgetting the hook that would reel them in.  Whether the album will grow on me is debatable, but the first impressions leave a lot to be desired.

TRACK LISTING

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*Comments:

1.  The End
2.  Rubbish CG202
3.  Aberration
4.  Sober
5.  Entropy G35
6.  Wander
7.  108=7/T-NA

Total playing time:  45:51

Release Date: May 31, 2011
Label: Peaceville Records

Gallhammer - The End

Reviewer: Peter

July 5, 2011