An Albatross - We Are Lazer Viking

'We Are Lazer Viking'
An Albatross
2003

Genre/s: Noise Rock, Mathgrind, Mathcore
For Fans Of: Daughters, The Locust, Holy Molar, Melt Banana


With a name like that, you can probably tell this is going to be an obnoxious album, and by jove you're right. An Albatross are a crazy mathgrind/noise rock unit, and on 'We Are Lazer Viking' they bring circus-y riffs, deranged screams and punchy synth lines together in a demented menagerie of sonic confusion. Much like The Locust, An Albatross have nailed the balance of aggression and weird; their sound both chaotic and startlingly dance-able. We Are Lazer Viking manages to pack in 11 songs, in about 8 minutes - a feat unto itself, considering the songs jump from full on grindcore freak-outs to cock-rock rejects and then back to new-wave wannabes. If you're aiming to fry your brain and piss off your neighbours at the same time, this is the way to go.

TRACKLISTING:
1. I Am The Lazer Viking
2. Let’s Get On With It!
3. Electric Suits And Cowboy Boots
4. The Revolutionary Politics Of Dance
5. The Triumph Of The Lazer Viking
6. Get Faster, Cry For Happy
7. Wrgggggggrkyyyyyyy!!!
8. The Manifesto Of The Divine Children
9. J7j7j7j7j7j7j7j7j7j7j7j~
10. The Vitally Important Pelvic Thrust
11. W7w7w7w7w7w7w7w7w7w7w7

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IDYLLS - Farewell All Joy

'Farewell All Joy'
IDYLLS
2012

'Abrasive math-y goodness'

IDYLLS are another local band, and my favourite one at that. These guys combine mathcore, noise rock, screamo and grindcore into one odd little package. There's some amazing musicianship on Farewell All Joy, and you'll have a very hard time keeping up with all the weird tempo changes, stops and starts and crazy riffing. Vocally you'll be treated to screams and mid level hardcore shouts, which combined with the ever changing nature of the music makes for some interesting dynamics. The coolest thing about this album would probably have to be the awesome guitar tone - tinny, metallic and crisp, it's almost as if Steve Albini started a mathcore band. It'd be great to see these guys get some more recognition, so give it a listen and go check out their bandcamp.

Funerals In Queensland
Bandcamp

Me And Him Call It Us - Loss

'Loss'

Me An Him Call It Us

2007

'Angsty and angry'

I am fully aware of the fact emo-violence is a somewhat dubious term that was invented as a joke - though it tends to be surprisingly relevant , especially in regards to bands such as Me And Him Call It Us (If I have to type their full name again I am going to punch the computer, MACHIU from now on okay). 

Loss is a very violent, and very emotional album. Crazy tempo shifts, odd chords, angular riffs and big heavy breakdowns reign supreme here, along with some throat tearing screams with just enough sass and emotion to keep things interesting. MACHIU obviously attended the school of 'Very Long and/or Specific Song Titles', but like many other mathy-y grind bands, this compliments the sporadic and semi sarcastic nature of the music. In amongst all the chaos, Loss is punctuated by eerie ambient tracks that are just as unsettling, if not more, than their loud counterparts. This is ugly, angry skinny-jean-wearing-math-grind-emo-violence at its best.

Innocent Bystanders Watched In Horror As Peter Jennings Drew His Murder Weapon

The Locust - Double Post

!DOUBLE POST TIME!

'The Locust' and 'Plague Soundscapes'
The Locust
1998 and 2003

'Weird'

I've tried, on more than one occasion, to classify The Locust's music into one, easy to understandable genre. So far I've come up with math-infused-dance-grind, and even then that doesn't really seem to do it justice. Basically, The Locust have created their own, silly little niche genre, and holy shit do I love it.

The Locust essentially started out as a Man Is The Bastard clone back in 1994, and while their self titled album is still clearly influenced by the 1990s grind/powerviolence scene, it also shows the beginnings of their trademark weirdness. The synths in 'Moth Eaten Deer Head', or the groovy little breakdown in 'The Perils Of Believing In Round Squares' are little nods to the madness to come, while tracks such as 'Cattle Mutilation'  are pure grindcore ragers.

I'm not going to lie, Plague Soundscapes is probably one of my favourite albums ever, hands down. This album is crazy in every department: lyrically, musically and thematically - hell you can take one look at the album art and see that something's not right. The synths have a stronger presence on this album, so not only do you have very violent and unpredictable album - you have a violent and unpredictable album that is surprisingly easy to dance to. The Locust's unique, three vocalist approach is at its best on this album too, everything from screaming, mid ranged hardcore shouts and Justin Pearson's sassy delivery (can he do anything other than sassy??) to batter your eardrums senseless.

If you've come this far in your musically journey, and you have not listened to the Locust, you are doing something wrong. I recommend you download these albums now, and listen to them repeatedly as you'll need multiple listens to be able to wrap your head around the sheer lunacy that is The Locust.

Kill Rodger Hedgecock
Live From The Russian Compound