Hempire - The Weight
First off, kudos to the creator of the album cover. Would be at home on a pack of cigarettes or a beer can. No joke! The logo, monochrome, subdued blue, and two-headed beast of burden come together palatably to create one hell of a picture! If someone were to ask me how I'd describe the sound of The Weight succinctly, I'd say fuzz with a bit of a punk attitude. Light aggression that doesn't take itself too seriously is all over this record, and though on the surface the direction seems slightly straightforward, a deeper dive reveals that there's a fair amount of exploration going on here, revealing quite a bit of soul. One of the things these guys seem to nail effortlessly is balance. Everything can be heard with such clarity, and no composition seems to wring anything out in a way that is ostentatious. There's not a single "Let's just make this part 'gaudy'" moment to be found, which is classy. Extremes can be fine and all, but these guys sur...
