This is one heavy album. Even if the word ‘heavy’ didn’t feature heavily in many of the song titles, I’d still be drawing that conclusion. Sure, it’s the kind of indie punk rock you’d expect from a band that’s played shows with Sonic Youth and Ex Models, but it’s wrapped in a thick coating of METAL and it’s all the more chewy for it.
If Queens of the Stone Age were cooler, less annoyingly precise and more punk rock then they’d probably sound like ‘The Brotherhood. There are monsterous riffs, gnarly solos, metal fuzz, sing along choruses. And then there’s PIL style atonal tunery and Melvins mosh parts
The Eternal is the sound of Sonic Youth changing. Shaking up their recording and rehearsing style as well as their label, their sound is revitalised and freshened up. Resulting are some strong, catchy and slightly strange songs that will stand the test of time, just like their forbearers. ‘Sacred Trickster’ is a situationist play on anti-capitalists and activists’ weird ploys to wreak havoc in bourgeoisie society. Kim Gordon sounds tough and scaly as she rails against The Man. ‘Anti-Orgasm’ is a thrilling escapade into classic SY riff-rock territory, jamming together newly formed bass lines, Thurston and Kim’s trademark dual vocals trading off in the ultimate power rock marriage. Purportedly about confused political structures and a model/activist from ‘60s Berlin, this song sounds more straight ahead than its confused lyrical content.
The Norwegian festivities continue as Dave from iLiKETRAiNS reviews performances from Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and Holy Fuck...
When Sonic Youth release something on their SYR label, you can bet it's gonna be pretty damn weird. Daniel Ross reviews the latest such episode: a live improvisation recorded at 2005's Roskilde Festival....
2009 is all good for Hatcham Social. They released their debut album ‘I’ll dig the hole you hide the soil’ in March and an extensive tour followed, taking in places from Brooklyn to Buxton. As if...
Alec Empire is perhaps most famous as the leader of Berlin based group Atari Teenage Riot, who between 1992 and 2000 produced some of the hardest, fastest and heaviest music of the era. They were...
Photos from a recent FOE gig - a friend of our friends Hold Your Horse Is - she’s gonna be big!!! Read the gig review after the jump.
Shots of North Carolina’s folk-rocking Avett Brothers’ stop in Glasgow - 22.08.11
Read the review of the gig here.
Take a look at the acts and art on offer at this year’s Latitude Festival in Suffolk. Included are the likes of Fight Like Apes, Lykke Li, Sea of Bees and Seasick Steve. Photos from our own...
Good time with Bad Guys. Photos from the May 29th gig at the Old Blue Last. Read the review by the Bad Guy himself, Stuart London after the jump.
Artrocker.com exclusive: for fans of White Lies and Crocodiles we’ve got some fresh pictures from their UK show at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire earlier this month, courtesy of Alessandro...
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