Hippie Death Cult – Live At The Star Theatre

Released by: Heavy Psych Sounds

Release Date: 09.05.25

Running Time: 41:36

Review by Dark Juan

Score: 8/10

It’s been a while, hasn’t it, dear friends? It turns out that wrangling adults is more trouble than its worth, but Mummy dearest didn’t raise a quitter, so I persist. Anyway, in a rare display of actually wanting to go out of Crow Cottage, Mrs Dark Juan and I decided to hit the bright lights of Huddersfield, where Hippie Death Cult were playing with our good friends Ironrat, and it reminded me that I have had this live album in my queue for quite some time. So, I have decided to sit down and write about it. There will be a live review of that in the near future.

Now, it is no secret that I am a rabid and rather dangerously enthusiastic fan of Hippie Death Cult, especially since they morphed into a three-piece with the Amazonian Laura lending her pipes to the band as well as supplying a backbone so dense to the band on the bass that the US Army are using it to penetrate armour plate.

It is safe to say that I love them nearly as much as I love mountains of drugs and booze. Hence, the Platter of Splatter ™ has been torn out of confinement, forced to submit before my over-caffeinated and inimitable will, and had this latest release placed upon it. This live album was recorded at the Star Theatre in the band’s hometown of Portland, Oregon. It is an extremely raw live recording that does not suffer from overdubs or generally being fucked about with too much, and as far as live albums go (Dark Juan famously fucking HATES live albums) it’s a very decent spin that accurately captures the live energy of the Stoner Doom and Psychedelic sounds of Hippie Death Cult – this is especially true now that I have seen them live and can compare and contrast with the live set I heard at the Northern Quarter in Huddersfield.

The record opens with ‘Arise’ and the first thing that hit me was the rich, soupy, just-on-the-ragged-edge-of-overpowering bass courtesy of Laura Philips. If you are expecting fast paced, bodyslamming Metal you may need to look elsewhere because Hippie Death Cult are prime examples of the Groove ruling all. However, although the bass is almighty, flayed finger fretboardmeister Eddie Brnabic’s licks, riffs and fills are a joy to hear as he swirls and coruscates through the wall of beastly backend from the bass. Laura’s vocals are also, at first, a little difficult to hear until the ear acclimatises to the sound. However, her voice soon cuts through the sound as she goes from gentle, seductive crooning to full-on Valkyrie battle cries, and it has to be said that having a lady fronting a Doom band offers some sonic interest which is possibly a little bit lacking in Doom when you have some hairy chested giant bellowing at you about weed and planets and shit. Hi Martin, here’s looking at you kid 😉.

‘Toxic Annihilator’ is next up, and it has to be said that this is possibly Dark Juan’s favourite Hippie Death Cult song so obviously I am going to think it’s awesome no matter how terrible it might be. Thankfully, the band didn’t muller it and it’s a speedy, hypergroovy rendition that delights this poor old man who really suffered at work on the Monday after the gig because he had got plastered because of Eurovision the night before and then went to see HDC on the Sunday and thought it a terrific idea to KEEP DRINKING. It turns out this was not a good idea at about half past ten on the following Monday morning. But we digress. ‘Toxic Annihilator’ is fucking awesome and so is this version of it. I shall say no more.

‘Shadows’ is next, and this is where Hippie Death Cult drop the Doom and bring in the Psychedelia. It’s a sweeping, dreamy number that owes as much to Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix as it does to Metal, and it’s a welcome palate cleanser after the grim, staring madness of ‘Toxic Annihilator’. Brnabic takes the lead in the music and treats us to some brooding, bluesy guitar work that leans heavily on the fuzz, phaser and wah pedals. It is not a song that is in a hurry to go anywhere, and it is all the better for it as it weaves acid-fuelled magic from music and sends it streaming from the stage in an LSD-tinged rainbow haze. I like it. I like it a lot. It made me want to drop loads of acid and be able to SEE the music and taste it.

‘Red Giant’ is where the band pick up their metaphorical skirts again ad deliver another speedy (for Psychedelic Doom, anyway) number that’s over far too quickly. However, this is where Laura really lets go with the vocals as she caresses with her voice before then using it to tear your fucking head clean off. The music is aggressive and driving but never loses sight of the fact that its groovy as fucking groovy can be, and a jolly good stompathon can be had.

The record closes out with the SIXTEEN minute ‘Circle of Days’ and this is where the band take on the full-on Psychedelic Prog side of their personality, Laura’s insistent bass underpinning the swirling, expansive guitar work of Brnabic once more, but this time Eddie gets to go absolutely fucking nuts on his guitar and drags us willingly through worlds of sound punctuated by wah-wah and echo and chorus. It builds and builds with monomaniac intensity until the whole fucking thing comes crashing down about the ears of the listener, Harry Silvers on the cans seemingly having rather more arms than he was originally issued with as the Phil Spectorish wall of sound destroys itself in a cloud of brick dust, swarms of flying shrapnel and stone chips flying within inches of your utterly blown mind.

The Patented Dark Juan Blood Splat Rating System has been reactivated as it has spent a while in standby mode and is ready to deliver a score. That score is 8/10, and here’s why. If you are a Hippie Death Cult neophyte, this live recording may not be the best place for you to start. Live recordings rarely are. Add into this Dark Juan’s deep and abiding hatred of live albums as well. Live albums rarely in my experience do a band justice compared to their being seen in the live setting in the flesh. It is the same for Hippie Death Cult. Their intricate, groovetastic sound is best experienced three feet in front of them at maximum volume. Where one can grovel cravenly at the boots of Brnabic and his estimable shredding skills. And Laura’s for entirely different reasons. However, this is that rare thing, which is a good live album. The band’s performance is punchy and sharp, the tunes well selected and the warts-and-all sound a brave choice in an age where machines can filter out all your problems. If you’re a fan, it’s well worth a punt. I’ve got one. I’m a fucking huge fan though.

TRACKLISTING:

Arise

Toxic Annihilator

Shadows

Red Giant

Circle of Days

LINE-UP:

Laura Philips – Bass and vocals

Eddie Brnabic – Guitars

Harry Silvers - Drums

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