The Hal Al Shedad was a hardcore band from Atlanta, Georgia active in the latter half of the 90s. They shared a member with Car Vs Driver. In they active years they released two 12"s also available as CDs, four 7"s, split 7"s with Rainer Maria and Inkwell, and a compilation CD of singles and unreleased recordings. They also had tracks on a couple of compilations.
The Hal Al Shedad fuses the unfiltered chaos of hardcore with an exploration of a much more artsy leaning, experimental sound that gives them a depth beyond a lot of hardcore. Their songs range from angry and loud to quiet and introspective giving them a dynamic, very calculated sound. They stand on the heavier side compared to bands like Unwound or Kerosene 454, but are still no strangers to the mathy, complex guitar riffs and rambling lyrics of art-rock.
I would describe them as having a more thoughtful or even mature sound than a lot of hardcore bands that focus more on aggression. Where most hardcore bands that come to mind put all their emphasis on anger, The Hal Al Shedad is not afraid to mix in a whole variety of emotions resulting in a balance that feels very genuine.
S/T 12"/CD 1996 (Troubleman Unlimited, Buddy System Records)
Textures Of Tomorrow 12"/CD 1998 (Troubleman Unlimited, Buddy System Records)
The Sound Of Swords Clashing 7" 1995 (Concurrent, Stickfigure Records, At A Loss Recordings)
The Hal Al Shedad / Inkwell - The Musical Stylings Of The Hal Al Shedad and Inkwell split 7" 1995 (Lunchbox Records)
