Cobalt, Eater of Birds

Cobalt, Eater of Birds, (2007-profound lore records)

Had a good listen to this bands two albums, first in this album and the second in near matching in quality "Gin" from 2009 and I have to say I am shocked upon looking at the net near no real coverage of the band at all.

So here we have another entry to the band that should have gigantic but is not. But here we have a problem the band consists of two people. Yup so no real live presence at all and also they seem to really keep themselves to themselves. But in music world and more so music fans that really does not matter. Remember PIL in the 1980s with the Album, Single, 12" stuff they done many fans had no idea who was on the tracks at all.

Much like PIL this is pretty much as far from Top of the Pops as you will go, the band are in the Black Metal area of the shops but I feel it can be listened to by many alt music fans. Yes it is heavy and at times very much making the filling rattle but the feel of the music is so amazing. When the first track 'When Serpents Return' really puts this album where it is happy. Starting out with an all out BM blast of drums vocals and guitars so much so my lunch is moving with the music due to how loud I have it.

But that is why I have it here it is so well done the riffs are here and grab you like the first track bounds into a very repetitive style of riffs much like a punk band would do. Little bits of lead guitar sweep over the two speakers to move the music about. It is not so much a metal feel but a punk maxed out sludge sound.

Second track has that great into blast beat drum start but the band love to speed up and it seems to move into a kind of old school metal feel near like Iron Maiden when they do the galloping feel in their older stuff. Heavier and louder of course.

It is not all out metal and 'Witherer' finds the band in a kind of ambient mood, with the drummer used as a kind of orchestra conductor dictating where it all should go. It really is amazing stuff. And we are not at my personal highlight yet. 'Androids, Automatons and Nihilists' the track mixes acoustic and electric guitars really well with haunting vocals from Jarboe of Swans fame. This really is a stand out track it has to be heard, only Jarboe could make the album come into this area of real scary music the mixture of acoustic and the heavy distorted guitar has been done so many times but she really makes this her own.


Prepare to look over your shoulder.

The band ends pretty much as it started in all out excessive noise but all fitting in the right way to make the listener want more. Many heavy albums can really be hard to listen to more so when they are 40m or so but this is shear pleasure, it really does show what the style of music can provide and as I say where does it fit in? It is metal but it is punk and for me it is art. Much as PIL made Album and have people scratch their heads as to its content... this is the same.


Twitter: 29xthefun 

Oh I must say the album has bits of Phil McSorley's 29 minute long acoustic/ambient song "Ritual Use of Fire." This song is available in its entirety on the Landfill Breastmilk Beast EP

F-Minus, F Minus

F-Minus, F-Minus (Hellcat, 1999)

I really do not know much on this band at all, coming from California and this being there debut album. At the time punk was sort of coming back in a real way. Green Day and other pop/punk bands kind of re ignited many younger people into the style. But this is for many fans of that music a little bit of a progression. Out with the pop part and well simply a real punk band.

Well it is more of a crossover in a way, I am happy to add them to the hardcore  bands from the time and I think live they could be as solid as many who were about in the late 90s. But anyhow I am not debating what/why they are but why you should get this album.

Again it is not all sing along but it is shout along stuff. The first track is a whopping 35 seconds long. This gives you an idea of what is on offer. But it is done very thoughtfully as many of the tracks really do gel into each other very well. "Slave Labor" is a title that may not get it listed on radio one but for me it gets my ears interested. The 90s were all about pop punk and then into skate punk. I really didn't give two fucks about those bands. Where I grew up if you went about dressed like that you were looked on as a rich kid. And most likely would get mugged.

Tim Armstrong (Rancid) produces this album and I think he done a great job, simply play. The drums at times sound bad and very much un professional but that gives this album its real spite. The constant kick on the bass drum that sounds like it is 25 years old and so far out off tune it would make the big name producers cry. By the way this band were later produced my Steve Albini so there sound really was catching peoples attention.

The songs do have at times some nice melodic parts, mostly in the vocals. Feel free to raise a fist and shout along as that is what it is all about. Many bands were making it and I think F-Minus were given much respect but the sales were not there. Later moving to Epitaph who have many times sold a shed load for punk bands. I have no idea why this band didn't make it as many hardcore band don't entice the punks to listen and this band did easily cross the border of the two styles. I had friends into punk liking them as much as UKHC (UK hardcore) fans.

If you like early Black Flag and much of the music on the Dischord label early days this album will slot right in and make that hellish bus ride to work on a Monday just a little bit easier. I makes me want to accidentally whack my guitar out of tune and make a hell of a racket. Job done!

Very easy to get this via Amazon indi sellers here

Twitter: 29xthefun

Classic album review. Refused, The Shape of Punk to Come

Refused, The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts (Burning Heart-1998)

I recently saw this album on a downloading site and it only had three downloads where next to it was other punk bands with 100s and 1000s of downloads. Shame but other peoples loss is my gain and well now it is our gain.

Swedish Hardcore Punk band Refused were about for seven years until they made this album. For some reason the band just never got along. But this was the 3rd album by them and for me a total classic. Mid 90s was a wash with pop punk music and thank fuck this came along. The album made a statement in that it was punk but not as we know it. Green Day and the Offspring managed to change mainstream views in what was punk. But any fan of punk music knows that it has few boundaries.

The music contained here is varied with at times drum and bass and pop music on the same track. Between songs are small parts of political satire mixed with jazz and even techno. It is not a punk rock album but is one of the most important punk rock albums (Ha get your head around that one Green Day fans).

Hearing this album is like flicking through the history of music in the last 30 to 40 years and reading a newspaper at the same time. The guitar work here is for me amazing, not often am I left with my mouth open at what is being played but it is just so good. The singer is on another planet at times screaming like the end of the world has arrived. I have no idea how this was recorded but it just sounds so complete. The drums and bass have a task in keeping up but do it so well.

It is hard to explain how important this album is, fans loved it and keep it close but outsiders just don't get it. I have played it to friends who just look at the cover in disgust as the album continues it is then disregarded as noise and forgotten about.

The band just did not get along, they were without a permanent bass player for the whole time they existed and the last tour was so bad the band split. Great reviews were not going to keep them on the road or even in the studio. No major label would touch this album. The band seemed to want to move onto other things and so they did in 1998. No last big gig or farewell tour.

I know I am not alone as a reissue in 2004 and 2010 shows people do hear about it and buy it. I had an argument with a moderator of a website after I placed it in the punk section to be told it is not punk.

Fuck it I will let you decide, punk or not it rocks like fuck and is one of the most essential albums of the 90s. 

I recently saw on the web the band have reformed for some live shows. Great news I hope they get the attention they deserve.

Available on CD and download, I say buy the limited 3CD and if you don't like it give it to me.