Ballarat was once the hunting ground for those in search of great wealth, and perhaps there’s truth to the rumour that in its soil lays the glimmer of more gold. Hunting Ground’s debut album, In Hindsight, is perhaps a small nugget of gold. After a flurry of EP releases and a national radio win, they dug deep in Red Door Studios with producer, Paul ‘Woody’ Annison (Children Collide / Black Cab) and polished up a collection of stones.
There’s a lot of ideas being put together onto this record, some possess potential and maturity; the beautifully atmospheric title track as well as Clearly See with its array of keys and the infectious Mind Decays with its chorus: “The deep red sea, the windshield blaze/Patterns align, your mind decays.”
Others however, scream ‘battle of the bands winner’. Kill My Friends, Star Shards, Liquid Air and All Eyes lean heavily on chugging bass lines, rapid drumming and full-throat vocals. It evokes images of Leeds’ own The Music, which in festival fields will surely have young fans loosening their lower limbs in excitement.
Hunting Grounds are certainly developing a signature sound on In Hindsight, the eclectic mixes of instruments and structure on Flaws and Mind Decays present a steadier flow and are far less forced without compromising on energy. They’ve nailed the atmospheric and spacey sounds that are generally built upon synth and vocals and it’s here the band should lean.
BY JON DONALDSON
Best Track: Mind Decays
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: THE MUSIC, EMPIRE OF THE SUN
In A Word: Tidy
