If you know Fu
Manchu from earlier, I doubt there's any surprises for you here, they sound very
much like themselves... "simple", repeated squeaking' guitar riffs, a very
recognizable vocal (that unfortunately isn't that varied from track to track)
and broken rhythms. Maybe more rockier and energetic than the previous album,
but pretty much the same stuff all the way through the little more than 34
minutes of music.
I normally
like stoner- and desert-rock, but especially the vocals does, that the numbers
sound a bit too much alike for me. Should I mention some favorite tracks, it had
to be "Eyes x 10" and "One Step Too Far" that sounds a bit different from the
rest. Not a bad album, but I doubt it'll return very much to my CD-player in the
future. I'd prefer a live performance from the band, I'm sure that's where this
music really works. And it's impressive that the band is going into its
twentieth year of existence.
Sound,
production and mixing were done by the band, Sergio Chavez (Motörhead and
Helmet) and Andrew Alekel (Foo Fighters and Danzig), so one should think they
got what they wanted. It's clear, well defined sound, with a raw, aggressive
edge.
Last I'm sorry
to say: what a crappy cover! Standard lettering, and generally something that
probably could be made in any drawing program in half an hour - and the worst
part of it is, that it's completely indifferent to the style of music - could as
well be for ambient pop. Thank God, that the music is far better than its cover.
For fans, or
listen before you buy.
