Reviews roundup – Peter Banks vs. The Electric Mess vs. Die So Fluid vs. Shadow Merchant vs. Superfix
PETER BANKS EMPIRE
The Mars Tapes
Gonzo
Former Yes / Flash guitarist Peter Banks died in March 2013 at 65 of heart failure, but his collaboration with Empire is often overlooked when people look back at his career. This album, “The Mars Tapes” was recorded live at Mars Studios in Los Angeles during 1979, and includes some tracks that never appeared on any of the other Empire records.
Fronted by the future Mrs Banks, one Sydney Foxx, her gritty voice pointed Empire towards a mix of blues and prog, which in places is actually very good. But even during the odd leaden moment, you can never drag Mr Banks away from his progressive guitar sound, which is very much a saving grace.
As with most “lost” albums, not everything should have been resurrected, but the music, which was recorded during six months of studio rehearsals, direct from the control desk has enough juice to satisfy fans of Mr Banks. Cruelly, though, for Genesis fans they’ve thrown in a song which sees Banks performing with Phil Collins on a track called ‘Sky At Night’, from their time as Zok and the Radar Boys before Collins decided to concentrate on his Brand X sideline. A wicked, but profitable lure, albeit one that leads into some interesting music.
THE ELECTRIC MESS
House On Fire
Soundflat
Time for some retro, psych tinged garage rock, and if that is your thing, then you’ll definitely like The Electric Mess as they bash their way through this, their third long player.
Main songwriter and guitarist Dan Crow is particularly fine at churning out a good riff, and when it happens to coincide with a good song, as it does on the likes of ‘Leavin’ Me Hangin’, ‘Lemonade Man’ and ‘Better To Be Lucky Than Good’, then its a mighty fine racket indeed.
Not everything is straight out of the top drawer, with ‘She’s Got Fangs’ worthy of the skip button, but when they stick to bashing it out, propelled by some tremendous percussion, then it’s well worthy of your attention.
DIE SO FLUID
The Opposites Of Light
Vorvolaka Records
So what have we got here apart from a fetching selection of catsuits. Well, it’s album number four from Die So Fluid, albeit my first encounter with them, and for a modern metal band, they’re really quite engaging.
Of course, as befits a modern metal band, we’re not really supposed to use the M word. No, it’s probably some sort of alt-industrial-post-goth hybrid. On the plus side, it’s also a sort of concept album, which always gets an extra point round my way. I mean, I’ve no idea what it’s about, what with talk of ‘Shakura’ and ‘Pah’, the solar and lunar deities of the matriarchal Pawnee Indians, sorry Native Americans. I’m sure it’s all hippy tosh, but at least they’ve made an effort.
So the lyrics largely pass me by, but I know a good tune when I hear one, and there are plenty of amped up ones here, with ‘Nightmares’, ‘Black Blizzard’ and ‘The World Opposite’ top of my particular pops. The second does kind of fade away a bit, as it goes all early Cult on you, but when it strikes, it strikes hot.
I’m sure the vocals of Grog will remain offputting to some, but if you can get through her vocal transitions, then there is a lot ot get into on this record.
SHADOW MERCHANT
The Tunnel
independent
Aha! Some proper prog now, and another concept album. This time from the Philadelphia-based progressive rock band Shadow Merchant, who take us on a hourney through one man’s life from birth to death and from joy to pain. They call themselves a classic progressive rock band with a modern twist, but I know what they mean. We’re prog, dammit, and I’m not getting back on the bus till you say so.
Formed back in 2007 by Sean Reiter (guitar) and Paul McGinnis (drums), it took them a wee while to get the proper lineup together, but it’s been worth the wait, as they along with Howard Whitman (bass/vocals) and Don Henney (keyboards) have put together an excellent set of prog.
It has a hard rock edge as well, something that makes the epics like ‘Into the Tunnel’ all the more enjoyable, as well as the more constrained material such as ‘Mid Life Crisis’. There’s nary a bum note to be heard and this is a record that fans of classic prog will lap up. There’s even a radio friendly end to the album on ‘Along The Way’ that could get them some classic rock airplay. A job well done.
SUPERFIX
Superfix
independent
Our final fix for today, or rather superfix of the day, hails from California. It seems to have had a troubled gestation, as the recording dates back to 2012, with its release put on hold for a couple of years, but it’s certainly an interesting listen from a band who describe themselves as ‘supercharged metal/ hard rock’.
Now, whisper this, but to me it actually sounds like a mix of nu-metal and pop-punk, with amped up guitars, so I’m getting bits of Korn and Linkin Park in there, which is normally a bad thing. But add in the other twists and turns, and it makes for quite a good listen. In fact, I’ve just read that there internet, and it turns out that vocalist Kalen Chase linked up with Korn as the bands backing vocalist for the 2006 See You on the Other Side tour. Which explains a lot. He also worked on Sexual Gyrations of the Universe, a Korn side project with Jonathan Davis.
His vocals, along with the guitars certainly lift up songs like ‘The Lion’s Share’, ‘The Dream’ and ‘Invasion’. They might be a bit scattergun to get a mainstream following, but fans of any of the bands previously mentioned will find something of merit here.
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