Review: “HOFW” by Hounds Of War

“If you enjoyed Replacer, please go follow and listen to Hounds of War, which is a new project written by me and Ben Mason. After writing this style of music for about 8 years now, this is by far the most aggressive music I’ve ever written. While Replacer + Pintglass was very much me finding my footing with writing this style of music, this project is by far my favourite heavy hardcore I’ve ever written. Much love to everyone who jammed Replacer and much love to everyone who checks out Hounds Of War” ~ Barney Warner

Recorded, mixed and mastered by multi instrumentalist Barney Warner (Replacer, Revelations, ex-Pintglass) who wrote alongside Ben Mason (Bound In Fear, Pintglass, ex-Sunfall), the self titled album from Hounds Of War has appeared as if from out of nowhere. In truth its one that has been a long time in the works, rekindling the writing partnership of the Pintglass records in Heavy Hardcore and leaving no stone unturned in the process. Joining them are guitarist Nathan Jasiewicz and bassist Oliver Lindop so we expect nothing but violence…

Introduced by Christopher Walken the classic line “I’m the Antichrist. You got me in a vendetta kind of mood” from True Romance, “Kill Part 1” is a lethal dose of Downtempo Deathcore that hits harder than a building site wrecking ball. 90’s Metallic Hardcore inspired riffs burn through the fretboards as the record flows straight into “Kill Part 2“, Mason’s familiar throat shredding vocals a violent disturbance in the space time continuum. A warning shot away from a kerb stomp and a prison sentence, the air of bloody violence is here for all to witness. There is going to be a riot, it’s only a matter of time. “B Line” features unnamed members of Cold Hard Truth and comes in with squealing guitars and savage vocals, a white knuckle adrenaline ride for start to finish with flavours of Street Soldier. The straight to the face aggression is unrelenting, the wrath of the barbed tongues only broken by the sound of breaking glass. A Sopranos quote brings in the brutal  “Cold Frame” with Mason changing his vocal style to suit the pace and energy of the chugging riffs as he depicts gangland violence without the tongue in cheek humour of Pintglass.

Forget a soft centre because Hounds Of War have another vicious little ditty in “Dragger” lined up and execute it with verve, swagger and punishing style, the groove laden riffage and pulverising percussive battery a sonic demolition job. This is the kind of record that proves, if evidence is ever needed, that you don’t have to have all the bells and whistles or technicality to create something fantastically listenable with instant appeal, the bare metal approach of Heavy Hardcore bands designed for two steppers and crowdkill moments. A sample from Machete in “God has mercy but I don’t!” ushers in the urgent and brutal “Caught Out” as Hounds Of War play with seamlessly alternating tempos. Mason has a single extended verse to offer and it cuts like a hot knife through butter, the power and presence he offers unmistakable. A quote from 1987’s The Untouchables “I want him dead… I want his family dead… I want his house burned to the ground” introduces “Rat Race” before it tears another hole in your ear drums. A viciously barbed affair, it finds Mason wanting to put his enemies in concrete shoes, the step up to a faster, heavier conclusion making it an obvious stand out. Last but by no means least, arguably the heaviest cut on the record is its bitter sweet conclusion. “Street God” finds Mason offering up some vocals that circle the drain of Slam, the guitars grinding at the cerebral cortex as he does so. Sparks fly as the violence is made real by yet another sample, Warner and Mason architects of War because everything they touch turns to gold… [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Kill Part 1
2. Kill Part 2
3. B Line (ft Cold Hard Truth)
4. Cold Frame
5. Dragger
6. Caught Out
7. Rat Race
8. Street God

“HOFW” by Hounds Of War is out 5th February 2025