Hedonist – Eat Thus

by Mark 'Yeti' Richard · February 25, 2025

Hedonist is a three piece hard rocking stoner metal band from Genk, Belgium. They formed in 2010 when guitarist Roel Paulussen and drummer Frederik “Cozy” Cosemans decided to have a few jam sessions together. The lineup is completed by bassist and vocalist Frank Homolka. The band has released a Split LP Your Highness in 2014 and The Collapse in 2016. Hedonist went dormant for several years before emerging again with their latest album called Eat Thus. The album came out on January 24th 2025 and was released on Polderrecords. It contains eight tracks in thirty six minutes.

“Dirtscraper” begins with guitar and rips into a devastating riff, right out of the gate. The song has a big and heavy sound, incorporating driving metal riffing and stoner grooves throughout. The production is massive and Hedonist emerges with sick aggression like they have a huge chip on their shoulders. Frank Homolka has a fitting voice of intensity and anger mostly. His vocals are angst driven in a metal kind of way with some screaming parts too. The chorus bluntly states “Why do you feed the money machine? Why? The money machine”. It has a brutal catchiness about it and rages right from the beginning. “Beaumont” plays next and actively pursues the articulated heavy metal riffing approach. Just after the first two minutes, the song builds into a colossal sequence of doom rocking tones and displays some melodic and metallic meanderings.

The third track “Golden Vodoo Witch” kicks right in with an almost old school metal sound and has a chugging beat down riff and chorus of shouting “You’re lost!”. The band proceeds to incite some cool metal picking followed by screaming vocals. The song has a savage groove built into it and they continue to bash out some nasty rhythms. The stick clicking beginning with the added guitar riff starts the ferocious “Warrior”. The thrashy at times song has a merciless and barbaric feel with an element of inhuman behavior and hostility. “Helvete” strikes a reaction of wild enthusiasm and outright belligerence. The song is a battering ram of sludgy riffs and stoner doom.

The sixth track “Just Start Kicking” has some good drum fills in the opening riff. The walloping rhythms are met with an impairing chorus of “Yeah! Just start kicking!” The song hits hard like a spinning heal kick to the head and Hedonist clobbers the double bass drumming with heavy slabs of riffing. Eat Thus is a relentless execution of heavy sound after heavy sound. The fuzzy guitars are a warning sign of impending doom and obliteration. The harsh and ruthless music is composed by sinister rhythms and thunderous percussion. “The Call” has a swaggering groove that is curated in heavy rock and metal. The diabolical vocals are met with slam riffs and palm muted teasing. The riffs are both dense and edgy.

The final track on Eat Thus is called “Kryszty C”. The viscous stoner metal and heavy groove riffing is totally on point with this song. The abominable battery of rocking rhythms sound beastly and combative. Hedonist doesn’t hold back on any of these eight songs that are presented here. They simply crush with a sound of heavy malevolence. They are an excellent band and Eat Thus should impress all fans of heavy riff rock and stoner metal music.