Rock Hard or Hard to Swallow?
I knew that I would be getting something a little 'out there' when I took on this disc, and I was certainly not let down in that aspect. The Locust is definitely not your average band. This is a band that has gibberish for a biography and tends to play in costumes, goggles and various other means of disguising themselves.
The album, New Erections, is grindcore-esque at times and seems to be very angry. Yet there’s an underlying feeling that perhaps there’s a joke here that we aren’t all in on. The music is challenging and sometimes grating to listen to. The guitars, bass and drums can start or stop on a dime and totally switch gears without blinking an eye. The synths tend to lean on the high-pitched, insect-like sounds that pierce right through the mix and add to the abrasive texture of the overall sound of the band. The vocals are a higher pitched scream, but they’re still relatively easy to understand and they fit the music quite well. It’s almost as if the Locust is consciously trying to annoy the listener, but that’s not always a bad thing. I have to give the band props for great song titles. Titles like, “Full Frontal Obscurity” and “God Wants Us All to Work in Factories,” really hint at the fact that these guys have an interesting sense of humor and that there’s more to this than one might think on a first listen.
New Erections packs a lot in a time span of just under twenty four minutes. I’m not sure if I’m left wanting more or if I’m just glad that it’s over. Either way, it’s an interesting album and something that I’d suggest to anyone that wants to hear something different.
| Reviewer: Dave Warren Added: May 3rd 2007 |
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