
Barbarian Hermit
Barbarian Hermit have been kicking around Manchester making loud noises since 2013, stirring and stirring their musical juices until they found a sound as thick as their beloved gravy.
That sound is straight up riffage, unconstrained by any of the tropes the underground scene gravitates towards. First dropping tunes onto disc in 2016 with a demo widely ranging in the pantheon of heavy, Hermit had sharply proven themselves capable of cranking out neck-aching belters from start to finish.
Whilst the demo certainly had its bangers, such as the impeccably catchy ‘Burn the Fire’, it’s on their debut full length One in which you hear the band come into their own, producing something much more cohesive. After shaking up the rhythm section with the introduction of Gaz Manning (drums) and Rob ‘Spadge Fafner’ Sutcliffe (bass), the band allowed themselves more adventurous dalliances, resulting in a full length reaching as much into influences of the intricate and delicate as of the punishing. Said album, 2018’s Solitude and Savagery [APF015], recorded with Chris Fielding at SkyHammer Studio, is as confidently self-assured a debut you’re likely to hear throughout. For sure, it’s as unapologetically sludgey as you’d expect, but there’s more to it than that; from the nods to Hans Zimmer on stand out track ‘Reawaken’, to the edges of space/prog brushing against album closer, ‘Laniakea’, to the impressive range showcased by Ed Campbell on vocals throughout, it’s an album that both deserves and demands multiple spins; and one which received plaudits from as wide ranging pundits as Ghost Cult and The Daily Sport.
Since the release of their debut album ‘Solitude And Savagery’ in 2018 the band have gone on to perform at the likes of Bloodstock Festival twice, Doomlines and Riffolution Festival, as well as playing alongside Green Lung, Crowbar, PIJN, Boss Keloid, and Raging Speedhorn.
Towards the end of 2020 Ed Campbell moved on to pastures new, with Si Scarlett - the quintet's original vocalist - returning to the mic. Over the next 3 year period the band worked on a new album, called Mean Sugar, which was released by APF Records on 2nd August 2024. It's 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, and that's exactly what Barbarian Hermit did.
“Barbarian Hermit crush with the weight of a nuclear sub’ – Metal Injection
“Slick, treacly riffs poured over gargantuan grooves’ - Kerrang
“Utterly addictive” – Distorted Sound
Line-up
- Si Scarlett - Vocals
- Mike Regan - Guitar
- Adam Robertshaw - Guitar
- Rob Sutcliffe - Bass
- Gareth Manning - Drums