Hostile Apostle - Hostile Apostle
- Released: 2002
- Label: Demo/Independent
- Rating:
It always pleases me to discover a good band that hails from my home state. Bands like Exhorder, Soilent Green, Shakespeare In Hell and Down have all heavily added to the reputation of Louisiana metal. Another band can now be added to this ever-growing list: Hostile Apostle.
In my metal-listening experience, I’ve never come across a band that was entirely instrumental. Hostile Apostle is just that. No vocals here, just all-out jamming. They’re good at what they do, to boot. Songs that are fourteen minutes long with no vocals give a wide range for experimentation, build-up, and timing changes. Hostile Apostle explores this range to its fullest, playing everything from some funkadelic beats to thrashy metal, and the flow between styles is seamless. You want heavy? You got heavy. You want groove? You got groove. You’ll go from banging your head to dancing in your chair all in the same song.
When I say these guys are good at what they do, you can be sure I mean it. They can play heavy, blues, rock, funk, you name it. You’ll find it all here. One of the most striking features of the band is just how good their bass player is. Move over Les Claypool; Scott’s in town. Listen to the song “1820” and you’ll agree with me. The man flies up and down the neck with ease. It doesn’t end there. Not only can he make you fondly remember Cliff Burton, he’ll throw in stuff that might fit in a George Clinton song or in your favorite cheesy porn. Don’t think that he’s hogging the spotlight though. The guitarist puts together some beautiful guitar pieces and can also lay down some really heavy riffs as well. The drummer rounds out the band nicely with his ability to also play the fast, thrashy beats as well as the slower, groovier ones. These guys just ooze talent and ability range.
As far as the “metal” part of Hostile Apostle goes, I’d compare some parts to Pantera. Now, don’t go making decisions based solely on that, it’s just the first thing that came to mind when trying to find a band to compare the sound to. When it comes down to it though, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a band like Hostile Apostle. They’re a very unique and very talented trio. These hometown boys get my approval and they will get yours when you give them a listen.
Link: hostileapostle.com
Farlus | 05/21/2003