Here we have the second album from Haggatha. Awesome name, and an even more awesome sound. It could be describe as sludge, but I'd like to describe the first images that popped in my mind upon listening to this album. (Bandcamp located at the bottom of this, I recommend listening while reading.)
So, please, if you will, imagine...
Your name is Captain Haggatha, you're the captain of a pirate ship in the middle of the ocean, seizing anyone who comes your way and on a never ending search for that buried treasure some asshole buried before he was gunned down with muskets over touching the State Head's daughter in her favorite erogenous zone.
More seriously, you're in the ocean, sailing full-speed to the island you believe the X on your trusty, rolled, and tattered map points to. The lowly deckhands aboard continually warn you of an oncoming, ominous presence. They've heard horrific stories of boats being attacked by sea creatures, and violent waters. This does little to discourage you (or the album) you're all here to stay, in it for the long-haul.
The voyage continues, and the closer you get, the more violent and haunting the trip becomes. Bobbing up and down, crashing against steadfast waves, the boat is taking a beating, as well as your stomach. This is not a sound, or feeling you're not already accustomed to though, so you push forward and demand the crew to do the same.
Suddenly, your look-out sees the island, but he also sees a massive whirlpool dead in your path. He beckons down to you but you're too cock-strong to hear him. The skies have turned an ominous green, almost black in some areas.
A massive wave cracks into the side of the vessel as the whirlpool, island, and an enormous monolith of some unusual shape, hard to make out from your current distance. You and your crew spill about the ship, slamming into bags of goods, seized chests, and other assorted items. You bounce off of a mast-post, cracking your ribs, and spinning off, curled up in pain. Everything seems oddly calm, a peaceful serenity has overtaken your mind and body.
Every sound around you escapes your ears. A muffled silence rings. (this is when I had to flip to side B) You fall helplessly through the air as your ship capsizes in front of the whirlpool. The ship is ripped apart in moments, even before you land harshly in the water. As you smack the water you momentarily go unconscious.
You awaken quickly, but find yourself in the midst of the whirlpool, frantically grabbing for any debris but determining that the struggle is pointless. You look over your shoulder toward the vortex, which is now a large, abysmal hole, with thick blackness radiating from its center. Your eyes trace the black lines circling outward from the hole and you continue to orbit.
Soon, the black lines begin to rise from the water, tentacles, long, black and massive. Eight in total, each raising to the sky above. You reach out in anger, shaking your fist and cursing the oceans for their betrayal. Each tentacle aligns itself with a different crew member and then violently slaps them down in the water. The tentacles slither around each of their bodies and then yours, constricting like a python. In a flash, the tentacles whip you and your men to the sky and then pull you straight down into the abysmal vortex.
Like a pirate, Haggatha II is harsh and relentless, and like the ocean it's turbulent at times, but mostly slow, and pacing. It's a trip through your demise (if you were Captain Haggatha). A soundtrack to the tortured things you see, hear, and do along the way, and how it all came to end.
If you read that all, you're awesome. If you opted to skip the story, you're still kinda awesome. Either way, here's some links!
Haggatha Facebook Group
Band Camp
Last FM Page
Choking Hazard Records
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