Album Review, Axxicorn 'War with the Giants'

Axxicorn are a self described Proto-metal band based in Portland, Oregon, and sure enough the first thing that comes to mind when 'War of the Giants' kicks in is Sabbath's Vol.4. The snappy, understated riffs have Iommi's mark on them. Nearly four and a half minutes go by in a flash and we sail headlong into 'Poseidon'. The smokey vocals and sludgy verse riffing lend the track a certain High on Fire feel.

Continuing the Greek theme with 'Prometheus'. Back to the Sabbath inspired work but with a slightly more modern approach, think Sleep's 'Holy Mountain' rather than Sabbath themselves. The long and winding instrumental choruses give the drummer room to display his flare. Next up, 'Revolt of the Titans/Wasteland' begins with a nod to 'Snowblind' and continues into pure, distilled stoner metal. Just short of three minutes, it all breaks down into an OM-like mid-tempo, distorted bass groove and a dissonant guitar solo follows closely behind. So far this is the best result of the rough production of this record.

'Typheous' opens with utterly bleak sounds of Western movie dialogue, mouth organ sirens and clean lead guitar. This is soon over taken by a snappy, immediate beat and bass to match. Almost as soon as the guitar returns with distortion in tow, we're back in familiar territory but with a new feel to the movement of the music, not a million miles from an early anarcho-punk sound. 'Theseus and the Minotaur' is a broken and heavy dream of The Obsessed at their best, and features some of the best riffing on the record: it picks you up and doesn't let you down until the very end. Finally we finish up this rough ride appropriately with 'Hades'. All the stops are pulls on the punk rock for this one, like an Amebix house party in the mid-eighties. The minimum vocals contain the some of the hardest belted out shouts we've heard from Axxicorn yet.

Axxicorn's 'War with the Giants' is the epitome of a no nonsense album. Brutally lacking in any bells and whistles and to great affect. The unique, rigid guitar tone invokes a more punk than stoner vibe but in doing so makes for a more unique recording overall. There's some very interesting filthy heavy shit coming out of the West side of the States right now and I'm betting Axxicorn will fit in nicely.

Axxicorn, “War of the Giants”

Rating: 7/10

For fans of: Melvins, High on Fire, Sleep.

Standout Tracks: Prometheus, Revolt of the Titans, Theseus and the Minotaur.

Listen here:http://axxicorn.bandcamp.com/

B.A.N. Digs... Proto-Metal!

We love our history here at Nihilist, and music history is even better. A not very frequently explored part of that history are the early days of heavy music. I maintain my conviction that live music played on electric instruments sent through speakers under thousands of watts of power is often heavy by definition, but I'm gonna stick to the style of music here.

Despite how it looks at a casual glance, it wasn't just Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple who are to blame for such a lovely tradition of music, there are a handful of names that were big in their time but posterity has forgotten. I won't go into the bands too much and let the music speak for itself. The first, who are gaining a little recognition now are Blue Cheer. Here they are in 1968.

There is an unconfirmed story that the last two tracks recorded for their Inside Outside album were recorded at the bottom of Pier 57 in New York because they were kicked out of the studio for being far too loud.

Next up is a proper rock 'n' roll mess from the little known English band Edgar Broughton Band from 1970.

Next is another American band, Sir Lord Baltimore, with a savage mix of Hendrixesque psychedelia and quite modern sounding lead work. From the 1970 album Kingdom Come.

Next one is from the now reformed Scottish band Iron Claw, and if you were beginning to think that these last few tracks simply haven't been heavy enough, check this brutal fucker!

Finally we have one of the more recognised bands, Pentagram. Arguably the crucial Sabbath influence would have had a little time to settle in by 1972, but have a listen to this for some old-school Evil!

There are a huge range of names that I could mention but I think the few I have chosen are nicely representative.

Keep it free and heavy! Edward...

Underground Classics, Blue Cheer - 'What Doesn't Kill You'

“Meet at 4.20 ‘cause that’s where I live,

Look for a place to throw stones…”

Blue Cheer: named after LSD, too loud to be recorded in the studio, and only now being recognised as one of the key proto-stoner bands. However, I’m not going to get caught up too much with their legacy, this piece is about their last stand, the 2007 record, ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’. It’s tragic (in the true sense of the word) that the final album that long-time bassist and front man, Dickie Peterson, would make would be such a tremendous return to form after many dodgy years and a few equally dodgy albums. ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’ saw the band cut the crap and get back to the meat and potatoes; loud fuckin’ fuzzed out fuckin’ riffs. A fitting end to a life in music for the late Dickie.

As I write this I have reason to celebrate this type of thing, as I have just been watching the BBC documentary ‘Secrets of the Pop Song’, which, while educational, features the slimiest of producers searching for the fabled gold in the land of Generica. Depressing stuff from anything but a pure business point of view. Anyway, on with the point!

The record opens up with ‘Rollin’ Dem Bones’, a celebration of pot in every respect, underpinned by ZZ Top style distorted slease. Dickie’s voice is clearly not what it was in 1969 but it makes his performance all the more impressive since he doesn’t shy away from going for those high notes and yelps.

The band’s ‘golden years’ from 66 to 69 saw them record covers of several blues oldies and so they did here with their take on ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’. Guitarist Andrew ‘Duck’ MacDonald, approaches his parts like a metal player who is also a true musician; trying his hand at a myriad of different styles to see what works. Check the choppy funk laid down on ‘Piece o’ the Pie’, the slide guitar on 'Rollin' Dem Bones', or the early Van Halen style tremolo bar tricks on ‘Gypsy Rider’. Gypsy is one of the heavier moments on the record, not unlike Black Label Society in its dark chugging simplicity.

Drums on the record are shared by golden years member Paul Whaley and former Pentagram drummer Joe Hasselvander. Neither show their age as the whole record has an excellent driving feel, heavy on the kicker in that Ginger Baker, solid-yet-loose kind of way. The energy is only let up on the ballad ‘Young Lions in Paradise’, a forlorn song of youth and better days that features the most sparkly clean guitar tones you’ve yet heard. And the band continue to move through various rock stylings as we move through the tracks. ‘Maladjusted Child’ brings out more funk and lo-fi fuzz to go with it; an unlikely pairing. Think Funkadelic collaborating with Kyuss era Josh Homme.

Dickie sadly succumbed to cancer in October 2009 just before a planned Blue Cheer tour. As I said at the outset, this last album, being such a return to form, was an all too appropriate end to the life of a musician. Joe Hasselvander wrote a goodbye to the late Dickie Peterson on his blog, see the link below but it is quite a sad read, I have to say.


http://joehasselvander.blogspot.com/2009/11/dickie-peterson-gone-but-not-forgotten.html

“…You bring your stash,

I’ll bring my own,

You bring the bong,

and I’ll keep on rollin’ dem bones!”

By Edward Gerard Brophy

For Born Again Nihilist 2011

Album Review - Iron Claw, 'A Different Game'. Ripple Music 2011

This record presents an exciting opportunity for the listener: how often do you get to hear a new release from a band that cut its teeth in the true proto-metal days? This is Scotland's own Iron Claw's first release after some 40 years of relative inactivity. The band were recently described by Classic Rock magazine as being amongst 'The Lost Pioneers of Heavy Metal' and with this record the band hope to make a name for themselves once again.

The album opens with 'What Love Left', a track that carries a 'hey-day of British heavy metal' spirit with it. Powered first by original guitarist Jimmy Ronnie's super-old-school sound (think Paul Kossoff in an aggressive mood) then matched by new singer Gordon Brown's voice. Wait for the chorus to hear his voice and Ronnie's guitar weave around one another in some pure rock 'n' roll goodness. This track also has the first of what will be consistent solo breaks from Ronnie. However, his lead tone is something altogether more modern; heel down,gainy wah work in this case.

A pang of southern rock can be heard throughout the bulk of this record and third track 'The Traveller' is evidence. This one also demonstrates that singer Brown also comes from the Free school of rock music, big booming deep vocals not unlike Paul Rodgers'. Drummer Ian McDougall, another original member, keeps things 100% rock 100% of the time. Plenty of kicker heavy stuff from this guy that keeps the whole record sounding particularly solid.

Forth on the album we have title track 'A Different Game', an agreeably raw rock ballad. Here Brown takes us on a heart rending lyrical journey while Ronnie plays bright, almost Brent Hinds style overdriven chords. Sixth track we have the proof of the suspected southern influences with the conspicuously named 'Southern Sky'. Nicely off-kilter licks that The Allman Brothers would dig follow a sweet acoustic intro. Yet the sounds keep you guessing on this record, such as on number eight, 'It's Easy', another with an acoustic intro but the chorus sees the band pull out Guns 'N' Roses style big, filthy chords with relaxed mid-tempo drums behind.

Tenth track, 'Love is Blind' is one of the heavier hitters to be found here. The final minute and a half of this six minute long monster is a hellride of Judas Priest meets Hendrix psychedelia! Coming up behind, 'Targets' opens with some slick dirty riffing from bass slinger Alex Wilson. Lastly we have 'See Them Fall' which is animated by Wilson's fat bass sound. This is an angry one to boot, probably the most 'metal' track to be found here along with 'Love is Blind'. Yet again, Ronnie keeps us guessing with some old-fashioned, fx coloured, proggy lead work, which adds a fine touch of Krautrock vibe to the end of the record.

It's not everyday that a band from metal's formative years comes out with new material for us obsessive music heads to meditate over. As such, I think this is a release to be relished. It's not quite as dark as the Iron Claw of the early 70's but it is equally as experimental which is part of the joy of listening to proto-metal music when you can find it. This record scores major points for maintaining integrity. They could have put together a record of radio friendly, three minute hard rock songs but no, true to the title, this one is a different game.

Iron Claw, A Different Game.

Rating: 7/10

For fans of: Free, Judas Priest, Diamond Head.

Get a taste here: http://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/track/what-love-left

By Edward Gerard Brophy

For Born Again Nihilist and Grip of Delusion, 2011.