REVIEW: Joel H Bulsara's doomy debut Hastur The King

Joel H Bulsara is a Yorkshire-based musician with his first solo album hot off the press. The vocalist of Leeds groove metal force Ireosis, as well as the man behind the trap-inspired Vilitigo. project, and formerly of stoner doomsters (The) Sound Of Origin, he already boasts an impressive musical CV (heavily condensed into one line here). So, where does his new project as JHB sit? Hastur The King seems to mostly act as the spiritual successor to (The) Sound Of Origin, with its heavy leanings into riff-worshipping stoner and doom metal. However, as the lyricist, composer, producer and engineer, performing every instrument, this is far more than the logical next step of an old band. Hastur The King is brought together with occult themes, and a hell of a lot of soul poured into the effort.

Conceptually, Hastur The King handles Lovecraftian horror and the occult. This is apparent in song titles such as The Tarot or Mandelbrot Madness (The Musical) - which, in very simple and half-explained terms, is named after a 20th-century mathematician who conceptualised an infinitely complex boundary. However, within the first seconds, lyrics of spellcasting and black magic set the tone in Moon Witch Blessing. Stoner/doom metal can get some (tongue-in-cheek) ridicule for writing songs about bearded wizards smoking funny-smelling pipes on top of mountains. What Bulsara does is take that trope and completely own it for himself on Hastur The King, creating a vivid and colourful concept album. A sense of mystic horror runs through the whole body of work in a far more interesting and intelligent way than a stoned sorcerer worshipping the lord of the riffs. You could argue it's a Gothic approach to stoner doom, and it sounds all the more fresh as a result.

The stoner side to Hastur The King, to be frank, fucking rips. Opening number Moon Witch Blessing (with a guest spot from Mel Durkin) is full of energy, a direct assault that swings with attitude, and Bulsara brings the thunder with his gritty vocals over The King Namesake, which has a similar vibe. Playscript has some great Kyuss-inspired riffwork, along with incredible attention to detail as Bulsara employs four-part backing vocal harmonies to lift the song to even greater heights. These songs often develop with viciously nasty breakdowns, and at times Bulsara uses these grooves to show his range with hellraising screams. However, even in the heaviest moments, Bulsara doesn't rely on harsh vocals, using the vocal technique as a tool rather than a default. By carefully weaving vocal melodies into the most gut-punching of riffs, Bulsara perhaps takes a less-trodden path, but completely to his merit.

Hastur The King is just as effective when it dooms. Pre-release single and album highlight The Yellow Signed Piper has a sombre melodic doom metal undercurrent, an approach also used to back Bulsara's surgically precise melodies in the excellent The Tarot. Both tracks have graceful lead guitar work that keeps it simple but adds to the atmosphere in droves. Mandelbrot Madness (The Musical) pushes this further at the very end, as Bulsara wails in his higher register to bleed every drop of emotion out of the music. Elsewhere, the lamenting heavy blues of It Used Her Tongue uses a slow waltz beat to complement the song's heartfelt sense of loss. Heavier still is the oppressive Chartreuse, the album's nastiest and most dissonant statement, yet Joel's relaxed, harmonised vocals keep it from veering too far into the abyss and help retain its place on the record. These songs have been considered meticulously. Hats off.

This is overall a very strong effort from Bulsara that bridges stoner swagger, melodic doom, savage breakdowns, and a concept that unfolds continuously and even more deeply with repeated listens. Though the production can be a touch muddy at times, the detail-oriented approach to the narrative and musical composition deserves all the credit. Rumour has it a live lineup may have been assembled so we can hear these songs in the flesh. If it passes by your city, you'd be a fool to miss out. My recommendation here is simply to dive in.

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MN