Haarp - I, II
From the outset I'll let you know that I think Haarp are FUCKING AWESOME. They seem to be building some sort of Hype bandwagon with reports of their (no doubt stellar) live sets spread via mouth and interweb, good stuff, they don't seem to put a foot wrong and these 2 cds on Phil Anselmo's as yet all-killer label Housecore can't help but put expectations for Haarp's next full length Astonomically high, when was the last time you felt that for a band? They are simply THAT good, whatever they have.. it's undiluted, oppressive single minded and they are as tight as a gnat's pussy, they don't stray from the extremely hefty formula and nor should they, it's theirs, they've perfected it - an easy reference point would be EyeHateGod but just as easy would be Crowbar or in terms of how unique they are maybe early Helmet, certainly I've felt the same rush as hearing Helmet for the first time and that is something I'm too much of a miserable bastard, fuckhead to admit easily, jeez what the fuck gets us old farts outta bed every day anyhow?. back to Haarp.. Style doesn't override dynamics and vice versa, everything flows with tremendous groove and nifty songwriting, it all feels natural and hits like the first time you heard St.Vitus - the fact that these two cd's are DEMO'S no less should leave you in little doubt that Haarp are going to well worth your continuing support, Haarp Destroy.
Norma Jean - Meridional
Its mind numbingly obvious to drop the Botch comparisons considering it's been done all of their career but hey I like Botch still and Norma Jean still sound like them and have bizarrely taken the praise heaped on Botch's work and taken it for themselves... weird. I've never had an issue with the band being a christian band, nor would I - Training For Utopia are one of my favourite all-time bands after all. Over time NJ had taken botch's template and occasionally churned out a few enjoyable riffs, the fact that Botch split after their wonderful We Are The Romans (and dissapointing follow up EP) left cats like myself a bit more tolerant of god botherers playing Botchcore... I'd never say I was a fan but like a I said before, a few enjoyable riffs and bits and pieces are more enjoyable than a lot of newer bands entire discography's... I'll sift through endless crap just to find a few good jams, always have done.
Truth be known about Norma Jean, they have none of the dynamics, none of the song writing chops and ingenuity that kept Botch so Vital, probably the same schtick that had them burn out so damn fast too. Norma Jean has next to no dynamics, the collaborations on the last album gave away plenty about the influences, Chino Moreno and Page Hamilton led their vocal talents to tracks that sounded like piss weak Deftones and Helmet tracks repectively. The main problem is the bands need to use a hideous power-chorus for want of a better description to counter any burst of heavyness or the loosely strung together riffs that aim to be taken as 'chaotic', it sounds sloppy - live, the tracks are almost interchangeable and played sloppily (that isn't a bad thing by any means but finding some definition when the music aims to be complex and challenging is somewhat of a necessity). the lack of dynamics really eats away at everything they are trying to achieve, it just ends up being a long soupy mess with hideous pop choruses unwelcomely popping up at random and the occasional moment of something that sounds 'honest' and THAT is when they appeal, to me at least.
The most irritating thing about Norma Jean is that they are more than capable of churning out something great, an EP at least if I was being mean and uncharitable... but on the new album there is a track called "Everlasting Tapeworm", it starts with a great riff... I mean a real KILLER that made me think "oh, ok... now wait a minute", its great but of course it limps into an awful, sappy and affected and somehow tuneless Deftones rip-off of a chorus before returning to a lighter version of that riff... the song ends up like a fish out out of water flapping limply to death. The thing with me reviewing or even commenting on this kind of metal is that I'm slightly disadvantaged by never having had an expensive haircut maybe. At the end of the day, there is no excuse to buy this when there is a new Starkweather album out, an album that has been crafted ingeniously, had nothing but love, integrity, talent and talk to Rennie Starkweather and you'll know how damn seriously he takes and loves his music... its an amazing album (unlike NJ's Meridional).
The Haarp cd's are available from Housecore
Norma Jean goods should be at your local super market.
Recent Playlist:
Floor - Below & Beyond box set (Finally!)
Godflesh - bootleg
Harvest - Living With A God Complex
Ordo Equilibrio - the triumph of light and thy thirteen shadows of love
Pioneers of Electronic Music - compilation
Pageninetynine - Document #7
Crime - San Francisco is still Doomed
HTRK, Men's Recovery Project, Creation Is Crucifixion...
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