If it wasn't for the fact that Away plays drums on this, I would not cover this album. This hesitation is based off the fact certain parties of the band acted like big babies after I reviewed the album for this blog and Cvlt Nation. I think the fact I am very blunt particularly in regards to a band wearing their influences on their sleeves irked the parties and the fact I continued to point this out in both review rather than kiss their ass. So here is the fucking news...this is my blog so I write whatever the fuck I want in it. If you are in a band and are ungrateful for me investing the time in your music, then fuck you.It's not my fault that I have been listening to music for over thirty five years so am well steeped in it's history. This history once again haunts the band as the ghosts of Killing Joke haunt the opening track. While this song doesn't really blow me away the fact I can draw comparisons to Killing Joke is a positive thing. If I felt these guys were being a Killing Joke tribute act then I would call them out on it, but I think there is enough of them invested in it and I like the fact some of the riffs remind me more of Voivod, than what was on the first album. If you read this blog on a regular basis then you know Voivod is one of favorite bands. Thus why I am reviewing this, along with the fact Away has always been cool with me and gracious with his time .
This album begins to show the improvements made in their sound since the first album. "Bread and Circuses" is heavier than we we heard previous from this band. There is also a more goth tinged take on post-punk with "On the Water". Away's drumming is more restrained than what he does with Voivod and allows him to indulge his punk rock leanings. "Deep State" finds the band milking the verse riff for all it's worth, and while you can hear the Motorhead influence I would say this sort of thing almost owes more to Hawkwind. They return to a darker sound on the title track. The vocals are more of a baritone croon here, shedding the rasp that typically dominates them. The vocals have an odd tone on the verses of "Killing the King". They sound better when they go down into the more familiar husky lower register. They amp things up into a more metallic direction with the pounding chug of " A White House".
They continue to use a wide range of dynamics on "the Big House". So far on this album they have their influences much more blended with their own collective identities on this album. The melody on this song has a solid hook that sticks with you. They use "RFID" to vent some of their thrashy punk tendencies. The sung vocals come in with their dramatic baritone as the last thing you might expect over this tempo. The post-Apocalyptic throb of "Seven Wheels" has more in common with Amebix. The album closes with a song that ranges from the more folk side of neo-crust to what sounds like one of Motorhead's more power ballad moments. These guys took what they did on their first album and moved it in a heavier and darker direction with a very dynamic and varied blend of the styles that make them who they are. I'll round this up to a 9.5 as it is a huge success in terms of the album they set out to make.
10.4
good review.but dont whine about your last TC one for Cvlt nation,the sole reason that pissed anyone off is because it was simply lifted verbatim from another site and sold off as a new review,lazy journalism basically,you might have found something new to say the second time around rather than copying and pasting the old review,which was pretty idiotic anyways.So thank you for taking the time to write this one.
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