Groove laden, stoner/doom metal Barbarian Hermit return with a new album, Mean Sugar, out now through APF Records, and an album launch show at Manchester’s, Rebellion taking place today – 3rd August – with support from Under, Bodach and Shred Dibnah.
The band has also released their third single from the album, ‘Who Put 50p In You?’ that is out now on all the usual digital platforms here. Frontman Simon Scarlett discussed the idea behind latest single commenting: “Lyrically it began as a pop at Wormtongue types in our real world, engaging in demagoguery and bombast… One week it’s one scumbag, next week it’s another, preying on those who’ll open the door to these snake oil salesmen. The vocal at the end is a plea, hoping I’ll drive myself and not fall for the trap of thinking I’m immune to the bombardment of messaging and coercion of modern, digital life.”
Guitarist Adam Robertshaw added, “Musically, it started with the question ‘what would it sound like if Barbarian Hermit wrote a ZZ Top song?’ We wanted something sonically hirsute with swagger and undeniable attitude to match Si’s lyrics.”
Previously, they released the title track as a single, one that might be the heaviest ever tribute to Northern life. Frontman Simon Scarlett commented on the video for that latest single and the album’s title track thus: “‘Mean Sugar’ is about growing up in a northern town. It comes across as boastful and full of bravado, but in reality it’s precarious and delicate. In the music video, I’ve blended local scenes shot over the last couple of months, as well as snippets from Barbarian Hermit outings. Some of the other music videos we’ve done have been gregarious and fun, often using green screen. With the ‘Mean Sugar’ video I wanted to create something to contrast those, no green screen, straight footage, but I didn’t want to lose the trippy visual aesthetic. Still striking, very local and relevant to us as a band, I hope this video gives viewers another glimpse what is being Barbarian Hermit.”
Available digitally, you can check out the video here at RAMzine.
“The album is about what we know, and that is the bitter-sweetness of growing up in a northern town,” commented Scarlett. “It’s a crude representation of what it is to be us these past few years: Lads catapulted against our will into manhood, at a time when everything is changing, and yet here we stay under the comforting and watchful shadow of the Pennine Hills.
“The north is an invigorating place, there’s a post-industrial beauty here unlike anywhere else. It’s also a tough place, precarious and on the edge. Sometimes we can feel powerless and unheard; our response to this, is to pick up guitars, make noise and hammer down a punishing rhythm.”
Written over a three year period, Mean Sugar is a cathartic creation, set against a back-drop that has seen people endure global pandemic, endless political turmoil, a cost of living crisis and war. During these times often the best coping mechanism is to go into a room with your friends and focus your energy on playing some very heavy and loud music.
Recorded by Joe Clayton at No Studio and mastered by Chris Fielding (Foel Studios), the album sees the return of original vocalist Simon Scarlett who helped craft the band’s debut One EP, originally released in 2016 (and reissued on APF Records in 2021).
Released a while back, first single ‘Stitched Up’ was according to the band, “one of the first songs we wrote as a full band after Si rejoined and it was one of those where everything clicks and it almost writes itself. It just fell out of us. It features not only one of the catchiest riffs we’ve ever written but also one of the heaviest and most disrespectful. Lyrically the track is about perseverance. We are surrounded by disruption, things that trip us up, make us lose sleep and neglect our own fulfilment.”
Scarlett rejoining during lockdown in 2020 is marked as a real turning point for the band with guitarist Adam Robertshaw stating,”It’s been an incredible journey, working together to create this new album. Long time fans will recognise his trademark bellow from the EP One he recorded with us back in the day, which was recorded in a very rough, DIY fashion. While One certainly isn’t without its charm, we can’t wait for folk to hear what he can do when given a proper studio to work in.”
While Scarlett added, “This new album, Mean Sugar, picks up where we left off in 2016, each track is a journey, it’s all got doom and stoner vibes, but it’s still heavy and full of stonking riffs, some bits are challenging and uneasy, but we kept in the groove.
“My hope is that when people hear this album, they’ll hear the energy of five, working northern men, in a way they’ve never heard before. We wanted to write something that was earnest and sincere to all our diverse musical tastes, but also side-steps what our peers in doom, stoner and sludge acts are doing so well. We didn’t want any obvious comparison that could be made with other bands.”
Since the release of their debut album Solitude And Savagery in 2018 the band has gone on to perform Bloodstock Festival twice, the Doomlines and Riffolution Festival, as well as playing alongside Green Lung, Crowbar, PIJN, Boss Keloid, and Raging Speedhorn.
On 3rd August, Barbarian Hermit – featuring Scarlett, Robertshaw, fellow guitarist Mike Regan, bass player Rob Sutcliffe, and drummer Gareth Manning – will host an album launch show at Manchester’s, Rebellion with support from Under, Bodach and Shred Dibnah.
Mean Sugar is out on CD and limited edition splatter vinyl as well as digitally. It can be ordered here.
