Review: Woodhawk ‘Love Finds A Way’
Calgary’s grooving stoner trio Woodhawk celebrate a decade of existence by releasing their fourth, and possibly finest, album Love Finds A Way after an absence of five long years. Back in 2019, in what felt like a very different world, the band followed up their 2017 Beyond The Sunfull-length with the acclaimed Violent Nature which I had the pleasure of picking up to review.
Having grown beyond their psychedelic, smokey roots, their third long player was a towering powerhouse of anthems. It tipped their collective caps to classic rock territory and ditched some of their more overt desert rock leanings. In their place came a bombastic, traditional metal influence that added a dynamic, catchy crunch to their sound. They eschewed the likes of Truckfighters and Kyuss for a sound steeped in NWOBHM, Thin Lizzy and The Sword, with its homage to ‘70s groove.
In the interim years that have passed, Violent Nature has popped up time and time again on my playlists for its unabashed celebration of pure rock and roll spirit. It walks a tightrope between the party feel of the band at their most boisterous and the deeper, more introspective, emotive hooks that sink in on repeated listens. Roughly a year ago, for some reason, I began frantically searching for more signs of life from the ‘hawk.
Thankfully, these prayers have been answered with another nine tracks of heavyweight boogie that somehow call back to their early roots but retain that fire and confident swagger that I fell in love with. Clearly affected by the journey of the last few years, Love Finds A Way explores themes of darkness and hope and drives their sound up to the proverbial eleven as they deliver the most varied and layered album to date.
Turner Midzain’s choppy guitar intro for Grave Shaker picks up the vibe from where they left off as they charge into the bullish riffing that they excelled at previously. Kevin Nelson crashes in with the drums while Mike Badmington on bass helps pin down the foundation for the band to generate that aggressive, yet danceable sound. Opening with the line ‘No use forgiving the damage that I’ve done…’ Midzain immediately pulls you in with his bright, clean vocals that drip with expression and elevate Woodhawk from the pack.
When they ignite into the chorus, they add flourishes of organ sounds from longtime collaborator Jesse Gander on synth, and an infectious tambourine to create a raucous sing-along climaxing with the defiant ‘You can’t get blood out of a stone’before they dazzle with fancy lead work and a full-on rocking assault.
Strangers Ever After sees a jangling lead set the scene for the band once more in full swing. The thumping smash of the rhythm section and the distant, almost strained passion of the lyrics is as much a part of the band’s secret sauce as their knack for slipping surprises from their back pocket. Just as vital is their ability to take the doom chug of Black Sabbath and add gripping melodies and heartfelt emotional gravitas.
These songs straddle the worlds between biting hard rock and heavy metal thunder…
Bringing the tempo down with Truth Be Told, the soulful, confessional vocals make the muted intro feel like a timeless hard rock ballad. As the laid-back hum of the bass brings musical muscle over the ever shifting drums and laid bare lyrics, the band head into heavier territory for the huge chorus. My only negative observation is having been an Alice In Chains fan for over three decades, it is hard to hear a chorus of ‘I think it’s going to rain when I die’ without hearing Layne Staley, but it is no slight on the actual track itself with its crunching riffs and fiery solo.
The mournful piano and searching question of ‘How did we end up here?’ ushers in the actual ballad White Crosses in a tender lament that recalls the previous album. As with the majority of their tracks, this self-pity doesn’t last long before it morphs into a scrappy number that tugs at the heartstrings. Harmonies swell over the understated solo and Woodhawk bare their teeth in the second half as their defiance grows.
The Unholy Hand is a huge swinging piece of doom. Moody, dark and dripping with keyboards, the plaintive vocals vanish in favour of a powerful chorus that is filled with menace. The rolling riffing is sprinkled with synth and light lead notes as the band don’t pull their punches. Similarly, No Place For Hate has an edge, primarily fuelled by the dirtiest sounding bass line on the album. The frenetic drumming of Nelson creates a wall of hammering grooves against the vocal histrionics.
The title track is a certified earworm with its tight instrumental section, impassioned storytelling and reassurance that love indeed does find a way. The faster, more rocking Relapser brings back the joyous speed rush of earlier numbers with the acrobatic lead runs and fist pumping bravado.
The semi-acoustic intro to Killing Time brings the album to a close, cutting to the quick with the heartfelt sorrow. Rising to full instrumentation, this is Woodhawk at their most introspective. The cycling melody and the resigned, frustrated lament of ‘I don’t think you’re listening’ is only eclipsed by the soaring question ‘What if I can’t let things go?’ as Midzain bares his soul and the harmonies rise under the regret drenched melody.
Love Finds A Way is an album that cements the trio as first-class songwriters. The doom/stoner elements of the band’s earlier outings remain infused in their DNA, but they’ve been augmented with a genuinely striking ability to pen tunes that sink into your brain. These songs straddle the worlds between biting hard rock and heavy metal thunder, while carrying an almost poppy sense of tender vulnerability. The long wait was absolutely worth it. This album is a banger.
Label: Grand Hand Records
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Mark Hunt-Bryden
