On their second full-length release, Finland's Death Hawks seem to be urging the listener to close their eyes and imagine they are back in the psychedelic '60s. Seriously, this is some trippy stuff, more often than not I thought I was listening to some outtakes from an old Jefferson Airplane session, but mixed with some jazz as well as hard rock elements. The band, who are comprised of Teemu Markkula (vocals, guitar), Tenho Mattila (keyboards, sax), Miikka Heikkinen (drums, percussion), and Riku Pirttiniemi (bass, vocals), opt more for textures and grooves on these loopy, often times meandering songs, which do feature some vocals but are mostly instrumental in nature. "Black Acid" is kind of addictive despite its repetitive rhythms (sounds a bit like Kraan in spots), and "Grim Eyed Goat" has a floating, psychedelic feel that is somewhat charming. For the most part, Death Hawks suffers from a lack of focus, and despite the appealing 'retro' vibe there's not enough here that comes across as actual songs, but I do like the 'cool' factor that this band seems to have. Worth a listen, and it will be interesting to see where these guys go next.
Track Listing
1) Night Children
2) Cain Go Home (2. Session)
3) Blind Daughter of Death
4) Grim-eyed Goat
5) Quiet Sun
6) Cain Go Home (1. Session)
7) Black Acid