“We watch the world implode and there is nothing left.“
Harms Way are one of the most respected acts going at the moment. Their time as a band over the past 15-ish years and sheer consistency has made them stalwarts of the scene. They’re a band who everyone has a story about, and arguably, due to their sheer reliability, they’ve actually gone somewhat underappreciated over recent years. A follow up to Posthuham has been on many wishlists for years now, and by the start of 2023 many felt it was the last that would be heard of the unit. Yet on Common Suffering, Harms Way offer up more than just a pleasant surprise of a return.
The industrial leanings that Harms Way tapped into on Posthuman make their return. Musky production is layered on to creates an atmosphere of gloom that soon sets in on opening tracks “Silent Wolf” and “Denial“. As Pligge barks “Another victim in denial“, his rough and tough vocal texture once again presents its uniqueness. “Devours” continues the relentlessness that Harms Way have always had, with a weight to it all, and a matching dexterity akin to watch a boxer at their peak.
The crown jewel on Common Suffering comes on “Undertow“, which features Kristina Esfandiari of King Woman and Miserable. While the softer turn on the surface might be seen as Harms Way losing their ferocity on a surface, its a menacing and brooding track, and the dual vocals present a tortured atmosphere that is entrapping. And while previous tracks have hammered the nail into hands with brute force, “Undertow” takes a pained approach that is much more merciless.
Following this up comes “Heaven’s Call“, throwing Common Suffering back into the harshness that Harms Way have now come to do so well. The lyric “What is this? Emptiness” will set to be mic-grabbed in a live setting. Both this and “Cyanide” double-down on the bleak outlook, with the latter lamenting on consumerism. “Terrorizer” injects a sense of self-reflection, akin to that of what Incendiary did earlier this year, as the slower paced track commands “Terrorize the enemy, the enemy is you, terrorize the enemy before they terrorize you“. The slowed tempo is an interesting choice that does pay off and adds to the variation. The switch up is welcomed given the sense of monotones that had perhaps set in on the previous two tracks.
“Sadist Guilt” does a decent job of bridging into closer “Wanderer“, on which Harms Way lean into a more melodic and clean vocal lead. There is a breadth and a fitting sense of finality to here, as the hook sings “As I wander in, I’ll be searching through“. While not a barnstormer closer that other acts offer, it instead thematically closes off Common Suffering in a thoughtful manner.
There is a sense of evolution on Common Suffering, where Harms Way have chosen atmosphere over sheer heaviness. While it at times indulges in dumb-heavy moments that came on tracks such as “Become a Machine“, there is something much more profound when it comes to the listening experience of Common Suffering. The bold shifts taken at times, most notably on “Undertow” which is one of the finest tracks of this year, have allowed Harms Way to present one of their most varied and complete albums to date.
8.5/10
Common Suffering is out September 29th via Metal Blade Records, and can be pre-ordered here.