The CatalystFrom my interactions with Tigershark and their label Molsook I came across these Richmond, VA cats about a year ago, when my taste for fuzzed out, off the wall punk rock started to coalesce into an outright obsession. I have often heard about the intense live shows that these guys put on, sadly I have been unable to witness one for myself. After listening to a good deal of their material I could only imagine the mind-fucking experience it would be seeing these guys.
You may have heard the title of the album or seen the cover art prior the reading this review, and that is because this was released last summer by Perpetual Motion Machine. And incase you were wondering what the +9 stands for it is the additional 9 tracks that are added on to the Marinas Trench EP. This CD includes the 6 songs they contributed to their 12" split with Mass Movement of the Moth that was released on 6/6/06 and the 3 songs they contributed for their split 7" with the Brainworms, making a total of 13 songs.
After reading two paragraphs you are probably wondering, "well asshole, what the fuck do they sound like?!" Well...it sounds like 2 guitars, a bass, a drum kit and a microphone trippin' face on mushrooms and acid while smoking weed the whole time. The shit is all over the place without going outside of the lines. But for a more mature reference, the label likens these cats to the Melvins, Karp, Pg.99, and a far more aggressive form of Nirvana (with much, much, much better vocals, yeah you know what I'm talking about [well maybe you don't but fuck it!]). Some songs are on the short side, that is if you consider 2 minutes short, but half are over 3 minutes. I have to give the band mucho props for being able to sound different every song without losing their ‘sound', if you know what I mean. There is no formula that the band follows, each songs bears its own identity; some are spaced out and foreboding while others get right down to business and commence the thrashing.
When first reading the title of the songs you immediately think "What the fuck....awesome!" As many others have pointed out, "This Bike Is A Gravity Bong" is easily one of the greatest song titles ever put to paper. Just by reading the title you have absolutely no idea what the fuck song could possibly be about. After reading the lyrics and digesting them for a bit I thought it was a recollection of a drunken ride home on a bike while people look down on you because you're drunk and you're riding a bike. I assume that the "bronze men" that stare down from "bronze horses" meant rich yuppie fucks driving around in their SUV's looking down on this bike rider, while the ghosts on monument were bums looking for some change. But I could be way off base but you can decide for yourself:
Bronze men stare me down as I ride home. So-called heroes, forever burned out here. We found a way, dodging ghosts on monument in the dead of the night, out here in the beyond. So that's the way we'll live for now. There's something reaching inside of me, telling me it's my time to ride. Are eye see eightch emm oh enn dee, that's where I lay my head. And when I die, I want you to bury me at the foot of my bed. Just say you loved me too, down from the streets and up from the gutters, something is screaming "we're not there yet, just one more block, and twenty five tomorrow." This is not a race, it's a battle. We're all in dead last in an endless race. We see the city laid out beneath our feet. We see the parallel lines, forever and ever, and that's home. Watch out I'm wasted.
When it comes down to a band like this recording is of the utmost importance. You obviously want things to sound fittingly unpolished but you still need things to sound nice and cohesive. Well that has been achieved here. The bass shifts tones throughout the songs, at times having a lot of fuzz or a nice twangy sound and at others just downright throbbing like a swollen clitoris. The guitar has great placement in the mix for this type of stuff, it isn't right in front of the mix so it gives the bass and drums the ability to pound the listener into submission. The vocals have a slight distortion on them which works really well. And the drums mesh in very nicely with the drums which creates a throbbing, pulsating rhythm attack.
The artwork for this release is just awesome. The front cover has two fish (damn it I can't remember the name! I remember hearing it on the Blue Planet special on Discovery Channel...ah I hate when that shit happens!) that have their little lights crossed together. Whoever did the illustrating did a hell of a job that's for sure. The booklet folds into three panels which are used to display the lyrics on one side and the credits of the releases that make up this album. The drawing in the middle made my day the first time I saw it; it is a drawing of various sea creatures swimming around and there is a school of fish and over top it says "thrash hard children." I love it.
Rating: 4/5
Songs Worthy of Replay: "This Bike Is A Gravity Bong", "Thirsty Like Water Thirsty" & "Smoke Crack Worship Satan"
Synopsis: If I was ever to take a trip down the Marinas Trench this is what I would be listening to. It is just so fitting. Really impressed by these guys. Would love to hear them get another recording out!
Like I always say, check it out and be the judge for yourself!