A product of the feverish creative minds of
Antibalas
affiliates
Marcos Garcia
and
Geoff Mann
,
Here Lies Man
began in 2017 as a hybrid of West African rhythms and '70s stoner metal riffing. Prolific and evolving, the project produced multiple albums and EPs at a steady clip, with third album
No Ground to Walk Upon
arriving just a little over a year after their simmering sophomore album,
You Will Know Nothing
. Though brief (just seven songs make up a running time of around 26 minutes,)
takes
's sound to decidedly darker places. There are still elements of the funk grooves that scooted earlier songs along, but the edges are harder and make much more room for riffs to be the guiding forces of every song. Album opener "Clad in Silver" acts as a mission statement for this sound, with huge drums banging in time with
Garcia
's stumbling riffing. Wobbly, evil-sounding synth tones are present throughout the album as well, rising and falling throughout "Clad in Silver" and giving it a sinister presence.
Black Sabbath
have long been the central reference point for the band's sound, had they been from Ghana instead of dreary Birmingham. While
is focused more on the musicality of riffs than any metal identity, there are hints of
Blue Oeyster Cult
in the haunted vocal harmonies of "Swinging from Trees" and a slithering, demented lounge feel to "Get Ahold of Yourself," like a lost recording of
Santana
jamming with the
Doors
. The introduction of "Iron Rattles" further expands the group's sonic palette, setting the pace with an electric kalimba rather than a blown-out guitar riff. The colorful compositions, analog production, and foreboding synth interludes make the mini-album some of
's most captivating material. ~ Fred Thomas