EP Review - Gallows : Death Is Birth (2011)

I am sure that a high percentage of Gallows fans thought that the band would be dead in the water following the sudden and shocking departure of enigmatic frontman Frank Carter back in the summer. But true to spirited form, the band soldiered on, and following the timely breakup of Alexisonfire, Wade MacNeil (guitarist of said band) joined up with Gallows, becoming the band’s new singer. It was a decision that split the fans, some believing that without Frank, Gallows would just not work, and others keeping the faith despite the obvious big changes that would have to happen.

MacNeil was a controversial choice, given his Canadian nationality, as Gallows are considered one of the best hardcore punk acts of the UK, partly because they are so quintessentially British. Gone would be the accented growls of Carter, replaced by something far more ‘mainstream’ and ‘generic’, some would argue. But the band have done all they can to break the mould, refusing to straight up imitate the band they were on debut album ‘Orchestra of Wolves’ and the phenomenal follow up ‘Grey Britain’. Whatever they released next, with or without Carter, they would have to throw out the rulebook and move onto something entirely fresh, which is exactly what the band have done with their brand new EP, ‘Death Is Birth’. They are, of course, the same old band, just with somebody different holding the microphone. How much of a difference can that make?

Just a couple of weeks after MacNeil joined the band, a 37 second teaser track entitled ‘True Colours’ was released, showing the exact intentions of Gallows to play something heavier than they ever have before with an emphasis on back-to-basics hardcore paired with their familiar ‘take no prisoners’ attitude. Following the AP tour in the US with the likes of Four Year Strong and Sharks (which allowed the band to gel as a live act and work out any kinks) the EP dropped in early December with a bang. The 4 tracks show that Gallows have grown as a band in the short time since Frank Carter’s departure and that MacNeil has stood up to be counted as a suitable replacement. That is the last time the ghost of Carter will be mentioned, because this is the new Gallows and this is ‘Death Is Birth’.

The EP is a frantic affair, clocking in at less than 8 minutes, and it’s a considerable ear bashing. ‘Mondo Chaos’ is our first taste of what the intentions the new inclination of Gallows have to offer, and the song (released one week before the EP as a single) is the most accessible of the four, introducing Wade’s raw and passionate vocals, which tear across the polished and effective heavy riffs. The track flows from each destructive and aggressive part to the next, with the anarchic chants of ‘Fuck the world!’ just begging to be yelled along to. This is a song that is sure to get the crowds involved at future live shows, with the final repeated statement of ‘What you gunna do about it?’ repeating until the last rip-roaring chorus. It’s 2 and a half minutes of pure Gallows fun.

‘True Colours’ has been re-recorded following its release as a teaser, and it’s quite confusing as to why. The original release was a short burst of unashamed thrash punk and this version takes away much of that brutality. Additional guitars (including some screeching feedback) and gang vocals make the track feel slightly overdone and perhaps overthought. It still packs a punch but the reasoning behind a re-recording is not clear, especially after the rousing hype the original created.

‘Hate! Hate! Hate!’ is in the same vein as the previous two tracks, a showcase of musical violence with an undercurrent of untapped aggression that bubbles beneath the thunderous drums and battering guitars like the bubbles of boiling water. Before the EP gets the chance to break into a real stride, the last track (which is also the title track, ‘Death Is Birth’) leaves a lasting impression as a relentless barrage of heavy punk that breaks free of everything that could hold it back, existing as a self-sufficient beast that feels so original that this EP could have come from a brand new band entirely. The constant screams of ‘Death is birth!’ feel like a commentary on the last few months for the band, which could be disconcerting as a musical theme but doesn’t once feel like that.

‘Death Is Birth’ is an accomplished group of songs from a band in transition, the sound they have to their name skilled and flawless due to 4/5 of the band having played together for years and the final piece of the puzzle being a vocalist who has just as much talent as he does desire. If a new full length album from Gallows is to land in 2012, then punk rock fans better clean out their ears and get ready for another furious attack, because I get the impression that this band are just getting back into the swing of things.

What I've Been Watching (October / November 2011)

Another couple of months where I've got behind with the 'What I've Been Watching' reviews, so here are the movies/TV shows with their rating but without a review. They'll return to normal for December.

 

Attack The Block (2011)

6  

Rescue Dawn (2006)

6.5

Batman – Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

6  

Horrible Bosses (2011)

7

Submarine (2010)

8

A Night At The Roxbury (1998)

5

Kicking Screaming (2005)

5

Deadgirl (2008)

6

Semi-Pro (2008)

6

The Lion King (1994)

8

Van Helsing (2004)

5.5

Talladega Nights – The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

5

Crazy Stupid Love (2011)

6

Batman – Year One (2011)

8

Superman & Batman – Apocalypse (2010)

6

Darkman (1990)

4

Top Boy (2011)

7.5

Harry Brown (2009)

8

The Rum Diary (2011)

7

The Human Centipede II – Full Sequence (2011)

2

The Change-Up (2011)

6.5

Cowboys & Aliens (2011)

5

The Thing (2011) 

7

Love & Other Drugs (2010)

5

Bored to Death – Season 3 (2011)

7

Album Review - Langur : Deadfacing (2011)

One of Bristol’s hardest working bands, Langur, release the album ‘Deadfacing’, the third record in their 6-year plus career. For somebody who has been a fan from the very beginning, watching and listening to the band evolve has been a superb experience, and ‘Deadfacing’ (named after a band in-joke regarding corpselike face pulling) is the best thing they have released to date. Previous releases ‘Jokes I Don’t Get’ and ‘Long’ helped the band become regulars on the local Bristol scene, and now with passionate lothario Dave Thomas (of DIY label ArtScare Records) backing them, it’s only a matter of time before the band move on to bigger things. Made up of Andy Pickett on guitar and lead vocals, Kate Mizen on bass and Anthony Palmer on drums, Langur’s album is a personal affair, which the majority of the recording done by the band themselves, giving the tracks a raw yet polish notably refined sound.

The album begins on a sombre note, with a drone of dread, before quickly shifting into the energetic driving force that is ‘Uncanny Valley,’ pushed along with electronic whirrs and noises. Juddering bass and bombastic drums provide a kinetic backdrop for Andy’s guitar wizardry, which can be like audible chemistry experiments. The vocals are understated, never overdone and always abundant with flair. The song’s funk-laden chorus builds with vigour, swinging effortlessly towards a summit with the introduction of backing vocals in the form of Ant’s distorted roars of ‘You’ve gone too far!’ The stop-start outro allows Langur’s band dynamic to shine through, ending abruptly with a final bellow from Andy.

A furious beat signals the beginning of ‘Knot In My Head’, the main riff tearing along at 500 miles per hour. Pacing is important in this track, with a modest chorus (that includes some great double-kick on the drums) and a fantastic triple threat of vocals from all band members. The lyrical content of this song, and the majority of the album, is a lot more cryptic and mysterious than on previous releases. The keen-eyed social commentaries are ever present but now the songs are littered with surreal subject matter and enigmatic metaphors. That said, the element of fun that surrounds Langur certainly doesn’t suffer. The song ends with everything unravelling in a similar vein to how Black Sabbath’s classic track ‘War Pigs’ draws to a close, but with a dash of Sonic Youth.

Bass thumps and guitars squeal for ‘Rust the Sky’ which channels rocking early 90s grunge. Pixies, Soundgarden and Smashing Pumpkins can all be heard here (despite the fact I wouldn’t list these bands as major Langur influences), but it’s never enough to overwhelm. The post-hardcore/punk edge of Fugazi is Langur’s number one authority (which was clearer on the other 2 albums than here) but the band have their own identity which is created by the fusion of 3 very different musical personalities. Inspirations from metal to classic rock to punk all filter through to the sound, a sound that the band know works well after years of playing together. Noise combines with high quality musicianship and the memorable elements are allowed free reign and 20 seconds of feedback is the perfect end to the first act.

‘Insects’, like its namesake, fizzes and flits with energy, before settling into a jolty and oddly satisfying verse riff. Doom fuelled bass and picked guitar push on a pre-chorus before another ‘yell along’ chorus, which seems to be commonplace on this album. This song is often bleak and theatrical, the distorted guitars and big drums again bringing forward memories of early Black Sabbath, when metal was young and this kind of sound was new (again, not sure if Sabbath are a Langur influence, but the band can be heard in snippets here and there). Another prolonged chunk of feedback before the final timed note of the song is followed by a brief interlude of sorts, with mellow bass and jazzy drums.

The liveliness of Fugazi and the bass imagination of Primus comes out on ‘N2’, which has great lyrics (‘Noxious gases overhead, Green idol lurches tall like death’) and includes another belter of a chorus. Bass pushes the tempo at the halfway point and the drums never cease, building tension until a crazed solo sweeps in, which screeches, bends and shreds. Grunge notes end the song on a melodramatic note, showing that a lot of different ideas in one song can work well when pulled together correctly.

‘Mice’ has great contrasts, from the jangly verses to vigorous choruses. It is oddball garage rock with a funky edge and proves that Andy has an abundant vocal range. The song doesn’t stand up with much of what has been heard so far, but things get exciting with the final couple of tracks.

‘Stingee Bee’ idolises Les Claypool and promotes musical insanity, with many technically efficient layers and a funk-soul drenched main riff. It’s the longest song on the album, but Langur excel with these longer pieces (think of ‘Symes Avenue’ from ‘Jokes I Don’t Get’), proving that they’re not just a band to be digested in short, 3 minute mouthfuls. Stop-start bass signals a riot at the halfway point, before the song descends into chaos with what sounds like an outrageous version of ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’.

Album closer ‘Fence’ is probably the highlight of the record, mainly for its animal/visceral style, which includes blood-curdling screams and roars (a Bristolian tribute to The Locust). Kate’s vocals are particularly terrifying here, combined with the screams of ‘Fence!’ from Andy and Ant. This song was a fantastic experience live and the recording doesn’t disappoint. It shows off the chemistry of the band, who have clearly developed a strong enough understanding of each other’s abilities. Few on the Bristol scene probably rival their musical rapport, proved here with seamless transitions and an addictive hook. Repeated shouts of ‘Take it out on the fence!’ then build to an onslaught of force and venom. The album also ends with a bonus moment for toilet humour enthusiasts (‘That one was real’).

Langur have clearly grown since the days of first album ‘Jokes I Don’t Get’, which is where they found their sound. Now they are just elaborating on it, injecting darker themes and pulling off bigger tricks, which is an encouraging sign, especially when the climate of modern music (especially for unsigned bands) can often enforce an ‘adapt or die’ ethic. ‘Deadfacing’ is the most polished of Langur’s albums, capturing the live energy they have perfectly on record. Catch them performing in Bristol whenever you can, because you won’t regret it.

You can listen to and buy the album here :
 
http://langurmusic.bandcamp.com/album/deadfacing

 

Album Review - Wasted Sinners : Unleashed & Dangerous (2011)

Self-proclaimed ‘high octane rock ‘n rollers’ Wasted Sinners debut album ‘Unleashed & Dangerous’ arrives with not so much of a growl, but more of a whimper, delivering a frankly underwhelming brand of ‘classic rock’ that aspires be to everything Guns N Roses and Mötley Crüe once were at the height of their popularity, but ends up being a weak tribute when it could have been a nostalgic throwback. The latter mentioned influence has been oddly spelt ‘Motley Crew’ on much of Wasted Sinners’ press, which suggests to me that they aren’t so much die-hard fans of the genre they hold a candle for, but more a group of wannabes riding the coattails of modern day glam-rock/metal virtuosos Steel Panther, throwing in buzzwords where appropriate to appear genuinely ‘unleashed and dangerous’. Let this band out of their cage and fortunately the only injury they’ll be able to cause is a mild skin abrasion, because without wanting to beat around the bush, they’re about as dangerous as a newborn baby would be with a pair of nun-chucks.

With the members sporting personas such as ‘Roxx Hydi’, ‘Gary Dainty’, ‘Dude Rock’ and Pete Sin’, I just can’t take them seriously in this day and age (unless they’re some sort of parody act, which unfortunately they’re not). Call me narrow minded, but I am of the opinion that unless your band are legendary and/or technically astounding (which Wasted Sinners are neither of), you do not have the right to have a made-up onstage persona, particularly something as ridiculously obvious as ‘Dude Rock’. I mean, seriously?

The album opens with the ironically named ‘Fakeness’, beginning with a flurry of drums and a marching verse with, the chords being used quite easily fitting into the classic rock groove. Think Deep Purple or Thin Lizzy, but strip away the personality and this is what you are left with. The jams are decently executed (to an extent) but are lacking something that really would make them stand out. Guitars sweep and vocals screech, but the lyrics are mere shadows of the exciting social commentaries produced by the bands that have clearly inspired them. Most of the time I can barely make out what Roxx Hydi is singing about, but when I can, it seems to be something bland and generic, not really delivering a message or provoking any sort of thought. Lazy song-writing is the easiest thing to call it, but it’s probably just lack of imagination.

‘One Night’ starts fast and furious, but quickly strays in mediocrity. It’s discount, bargain-basement glam-rock which really is a poor attempt at bringing a wonderful genre to a modern audience. There’s just no place for music like this in the current musical climate. Sure, the band is probably having fun playing it and I’m positive they have a loyal fan-base, but it really isn’t going to make waves big enough to rock the boat.

‘Questions’ is mish-mash of ideas and a bizarre attempt at a ballad. It gets lost almost thirty seconds in, before peaking too soon (and that peak certainly isn’t dizzy heights). The remainder of the song drags along like a wounded animal, which coincidentally is also what the lead vocals often sound like. The solo finally cuts them off, and the lick is a surprising highlight which definitely doesn’t last long enough. I hope the song is titled ‘Questions’ for the sole reason that the chorus is constant questioning, because that would prove that this band are extremely narrow-minded and must expect their target audience to have massively low IQs, because nobody else could enjoy this simple rubbish.

‘I Want More’ is the only song on the album with a hook, but even that can’t save another travesty. It attempts to have swagger, but it’s misplaced and the promiscuous edge oozes about as much  sexuality as Susan Boyle. ‘I’m Falling’ has some personality and feeling, probably making it the best song on the record. However, the lyrics are clunky and odd, restricting the flow of the song and halting any enjoyment.

The final track on the album is titled ‘Drugs & Angels’ and I wouldn’t have expected anything less. It’s an awkwardly obvious title for an awkwardly obvious song. The yet more awkward woo from the vocalist brings in the song, which I swear uses the same chords as the opener. There’s a lot of bad Axl Rose impersonation going on here, including the awful clichéd moment that I cannot stand in music of any shape or form, a shout of ‘guitar!’ as a solo kicks in.

Glam-rock/metal hasn’t yet had its day, because modern bands that inject originality and fun can pull it off with ease. However, this release from Wasted Sinners is bland, void of style and above all, stagnant. The songs are poorly written and they leave nothing but a bad taste. I hope to hear nothing more of this band, because another release like this may cause me to vomit up my Jack & Coke.