Hawg Jaw - "BeLIEve Nothing", 2000

Born in 1996 and revolving mostly around guitar player Gary Mader and singer Mike Dares, Hawg Jaw hails from the New Orleans underground scene; blending a more punk/hardcore approach with the sludgier overtones of local heroes Eyehategod, the band incarnates the Nawlins sound faithfully, and it's a pity that its popularity remained mostly confined to Louisiana. The fact that Mader went on to become Eyehategod's bass player in 2000 (and later on played guitar in Outlaw Order too) didn't help, since most of his time ended up being dedicated to that band, and probably most of his songwriting contributions too. While apparently still active, the band hasn't released anything since 2006, but it was quite busy between 1996 and 2006, putting out a number of demos and 7-inches (later compiled in a CD release) and two full-length records, the first being "BeLIEve Nothing" in 2000.

The album is a raw, self-produced effort that ended up being released by the band itself on a very limited CD-R and subsequently only on vinyl by Deep Six Records in 2001. The production is gritty, having been recorded in the band's practice room on a 4-track; it actually sounds better than expected, all things considered, and while noisy and not particularly punchy, it conveys the underground and unpolished feeling the band was probably striving for. Or maybe the guys were just dirt poor and couldn't afford a proper studio, but they still made it work. The only thing that gets a bit annoying at points is that there's something slightly out of tune; I couldn't make out if it's the bass or a guitar, but it's quite noticeable, although it doesn't compromise the listening experience too much.

The Eyehategod influence is obvious on tracks such as "Boiling Point", "Blindfold" or "Forfit", among guitar feedback and eerie bass intro riffs that clearly echo Jimmy Bower and Co., especially the band's early material; elsewhere, Hawg Jaw explores faster solutions while incorporating heavy grooves and breakdowns that blur the lines between sludge metal and all-out hardcore ("Strike Like a Snake", "In Sheep's Clothing"), or more tense, angular mid-tempos akin to Florida's Cavity on a slightly different track such as "365th Sickness". Scattered around the whole tracklist, the southern-metal DNA can often be detected, with a few bluesy riffs that reveal how the band's roots are distinctly bound to the New Orleans tradition. Singer Mike Dares screams his way through the record with unrelenting ferocity, sounding not too far removed from Dixie of Weedeater or Muleboy of Bongzilla, although he often alternates it with a gruffer tone; it makes for an effective contrast, almost giving the illusion that there are two vocalists. 

Including the instrumental intro, the album clocks in at around 28 minutes; therefore, it could even be considered an EP in a way. Many of the songs are pretty short, but it kind of works in its favor, given that "BeLIEve Nothing" doesn't overstay its welcome. As a 2000 record, it didn't add anything new or particularly original to the scene that it was spawned from, but it's still a respectable and perfectly enjoyable product that deserves to be rediscovered. The band did better with both the "Send Out the Dogs" compilation and the second full-length "Don't Trust Nobody", but the underground nature of "BeLIEve Nothing" holds that same crude allure that gave a peculiar edge to many debut albums.