Existing on the fringes of alternative rock, metal, and post-punk since 2002, English punks Headcount have released their 4th studio album, and it's a welcome change from metallic poses and hipster indie rock. Featuring legendary Adam & The Ants guitarist Marco Pirroni, "Lullabies For Dogs" is a heavy and smart assault on the senses.
Opening with an atmospheric intro, "Liar" begins things with a near industrial backbeat alongside a chugging rock bass and guitar thunk. They've been compared to Therapy?, and that comparison does hold some weight. Lead single "News Corpse" follows, and it's a solid post-punk stormer that reminds me of Killing Joke or Prong almost. But this isn't a case of Headcount aping those bands, mind you. I needn't say that they have serious ties with the KJ boys going back some years, working with Paul Raven and recording for Mike Coles' Malicious Damage Records. Anyhow, the following tracks also exhibit a fiery, intense predilection for taut bass and drums, punk-tinged vocals, and moody but aggressive post-punk guitars. A strong, sturdy album of hard rock grooves for a more forward-thinking audience.
This rare and long out-of-print live album documents the band's 1986 Reading Festival appearance (and three cuts from a 1985 gig in London, oddly). Though it's certainly not essential, it is a curiosity for serious fans.
The "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns" era, which this disc captures, saw the band in the middle of it's much-berated bloated synth-pop faze, with excessive keyboards dominating the mix (sometimes at the expense of Geordie's guitars), and Jaz's melodic vocals becoming more prominent. Old-time punk fans screamed "sellout" -- and that didn't seem too far from the truth. The band's smoothed-out studio sound isn't quite as evident here, fortunately, as the Joke do parade out classics like "Requiem", "Complications", "Wardance", and "Tension". On the other hand, we may never again hear a live version of "Sanity", and tracks like "Twilight Of The Mortals", "Chessboards", or "Love Of The Masses" are hardly live staples, either.
So, to sum this one up, it's a decent period piece for collectors, but anyone else is urged to avoid this one, and pick up more representative live KJ albums like "Ha!" or the massive 4xCD set, "The Gathering 2008", either of which possess prime Killing Joke wallop and vitriol. (Windsong International)
Another trailer for the upcoming Killing Joke movie, "The Death And Resurrection Show". This, along with the similarly-awaited Ministry documentary, "Fix", top my "most wanted" on DVD list this coming year. See what you think, and don't be afraid to comment.
Now, this is something I will need to see and experience...possibly the most intense and fiercely intelligent aggressive rock act in the world, the mighty Killing Joke are profiled and documented in this upcoming feature-length film. Check this trailer and see what you think. Wow. I am impressed and anxious.
It's been said that in times of worldly distress, the mighty Killing Joke reconvene to ignite the fires of dissent. Their voice is one founded upon the reactionary climate of punk, and tempered by literature, poetry, and ancient history (and prophecy). They're a powerful conglomerate of influences, and "Absolute Dissent" is the band's most aggressive, emotional, and fearless release in some time.
The original lineup of Killing Joke assembled for the first time in 25+ years for this recording, and the intensity and unbridled passion are as strong as ever. Lead madman (and sometimes-classical composer) Jaz Coleman spouts off intelligent political discourse and borderline demonic ranting like no other. The opening title track recalls the band's early days, with Geordie Walker's distinctive grinding, choppy guitar and a a walloping, catchy chorus. That's not to mention the huge drums, courtesy of Big Paul Ferguson. Bassist (and now name producer) Youth returns with his dub-inspired low-end. It's crowned with Coleman's caustic seething rants (and his well-honed melodic voice as well). An effective lead-off track, for certain.
"The Great Cull" is a monster of sludgy grind and pound, with a vision of a Malthusian future where behind-the-scenes players manipulate the general masses via food, immunizations, and other means to control the overpopulation zeitgeist. Ominous, scary, and, unfortunately, likely very real conspiracy. There are no easy answers, but within the context of rock music, Coleman and Killing Joke stand head and shoulders above the rest, intellectually if not musically. "In Excelsis" is one of my favorites, being a spirited wall of noise that can't obscure an unmistakably sorrowful (yet simple) two-chord melody. Another brilliant track. "European Super State" needs no explanation, but the group here explores a club-worthy proto-industrial groove, and it works beautifully, coming across as more intense and aggressive than anything Ministry have done in years.
"The Raven King" honors former KJ bassist Paul Raven, who unexpectedly passed away in 2007. This is the emotional highlight of the record, and a touching tribute to Raven's swaggering persona and the love his friends had for him. Swells of guitar and keyboards amplify Coleman's poetic reflections. Other strong points include the fiery "Depthcharge", and the dubby closer, "Ghosts Of Ladbroke Grove". I could go on and on, as this is among my most-played releases of the last year. Amazing, brutal, intelligent, catchy, and monumental, "Absolute Dissent" is a triumph however you cut it. (Spinefarm Records)
Taking their name from the scientific term for the syphilis virus, French industrial metal act Treponem Pal have been active for some years, and have seen a career littered with highs and lows. Often seen as a kid brother of sorts to their mentors/friends in Swiss avante-rock act the Young Gods, they have created some of the finest music of their genre, and they are back after an 11-year absence with a new CD. This is my quick-step assessment of their major recorded works up to now.
"Treponem Pal" CD (1989) - This raw debut was produced by Young Gods vocalist Franz Treichler, and indeed, it does echo that group's gutteral, explosive rock vibe. Vocalist Marco Neves' vocals are even a similar tone to Franz's. Nonetheless, the band's penchant for SWANS-style slow-burn grooves are obvious, as well as their prog-rock ala Voivod elements. Listen to "Slow Man" and hear for yourself their SWANS fixation in full effect. If you can get past some rather silly lyrics (who can forget the album's closer, "Soft Mouth Vagina"?), you may be surprised that this album holds up fairly well today.
"Aggravation" CD (1991) - My initial introduction to this smoldering aggro-metal act, "Aggravation" boasts production by former SWANS drummer Roli Mossimann. It's denser, heavier, and more guitar-heavy than it's predecessor. "Rest Is A War" is all-out war indeed, while the thrashy "Fugitive Soul" throws in some killer guitar samplings among the live instruments. Here is where the group really picks up some steam. There are still some slower grinding moments, but the band goes more metal here, with slicing guitars and thumping grooves. "TV Matic" is Voivod meets Young Gods, and works nicely that way, thank you very much. Their cover of Kraftwerk's immortal "Radioactivity" works surprisingly well, too. The start of something great.
"Excess And Overdrive" CD (1993) - With Treichler returning to the producer's chair, this remains the band's tour-de-force. I spent a lot of time in the 90's listening to post-Wax Trax! industrial rock and metal, and this album rates very highly, indeed. A shame it's been mostly ignored and unheard by many of those who would've made T.Pal major stars back in the day. "Out Of Reach" is a scalding, hot anthem of electronic-tinged metal. Every bit as powerful as Ministry ever were, the single, "Pushing You Too Far" is catchy, omnipotent, and combines the group's influences the most cohesively. It's simultaneously slow and brooding, then bombastic and grinding. It's no wonder Al Jourgensen drafted guitarist Michel Bassin for a Ministry tour during this era. The title track is a massive SWANS slave-grind, and "Sometimes" lashes this dissonant sludginess to a stomping metal groove. From start to finish, this is a stomping monolith of crushing mecha-metal madness, with a furious sense of urgency and swollen aggression. One of my personal favorite industrial-metal albums of all-time, seriously.
"Higher" CD" (1997) - The band was on a roll with "Excess", but for some reason, it took 4 years for this one to finally see release, and on a major label, no less. Well, this is where the band's momentum stopped abruptly. I blame part of that on the weak production of KMFDM's Sasha Konietzko, which managed to completely subdue and neuter Treponem Pal's hard-driving sound. "Higher" as an album sounds plastic, puerile, and like KMFDM with a different vocalist. The dubby-reggae sounds of "Panorama" or "Freetribe" are likely the doing of vocalist Neves, who went on, after this album, to work as dub project Elephant System, but the KMFDM production makes it all sound flat and bland. And we won't discuss their cover of "Funky Town". Sad to see the band fall so far.
"Weird Machine" CD (2008) - After 11 years away, Neves returns, with a new lineup, bolstered by the addition of some genre heavyweights -- bassist Paul Raven (Killing Joke, Prong, etc., who, sadly, passed away while recording for this album) and drummer Ted Parsons (SWANS, Godflesh). This is the group's strongest showing since "Excess And Overdrive", with songs like "Planet Crash" returning to the band's original heavy rock sound. "Hardcore Massive Soldier" recycles lyrics from past T.Pal songs, as well as referencing Sonic Youth, among others. "Mad Box" is a cover of the track "The Box" from the band's debut album, and there's more big rock songs like "Human Attack", which balance the group's "Excess"-era sounds with electronic underpinnings. Marco's vocals are appropriately gutteral and harsh, and this proves that Treponem Pal is back with a vengeance. "Weird Machine", though it's not seen release in the states at all, is certainly worth looking for if you've ever appreciated this band's past works.
