Dirty Dirty Fuzz
"Seventeen songs in twenty-six minutes?" I asked myself when I put Sludgefeast's new album 'Virtua-Rock' into my PC. I had no idea what to expect but the great packaging suggested vocalist/guitarist James Barnard, Bass player Coirin Duff and Drummer James II didn't take themselves too seriously.
Sounding like the start of a computer game 'Virtua Rock' blasts into 'Outrun Mother Fucker' and the attitude and energy just hits you like tornado. The guitar sound is so fuzzy and dirty you can't help but like it. The drums soon kick in and sound like they've been recorded that afternoon in their garden shed, which is probably about right. James shouts his vocals but the furious backing enhances this simple tactic and before you know it you're tapping your foot, nodding your head shouting 'Yeah fuck you man I've just begun, COME ON!' A solo screeches its way to the end of the song and although not technically difficult, it suits the music perfectly. Even I, at the grand of age of 33 thought of dusting off my air guitar before my senses got hold of me again. At just under three minutes the opening track is Sludgfeast's epic song. 'Total Confusion' follows and hits you with a minute and a half of punk groove. At this point my head is nodding like a fury as the energy isn't lifted for a second giving the listener no time to breath. 'Engine On' gives Coirin a chance to scream at the top of her lungs. The vocals are still monotone shouting in their delivery but the songs are so short and immediate you don't really care. '3,2,1. Action' has one of the most over the top dirty sounds I've ever been witness to and it's quite a skill to get such fuzz and still be able to discern all of the songs' parts.
'Got Nothin To Say' and 'Deathmatch' introduce variation into the song writing using different tempos and beats without losing any of the drive. 'Chavez' is the highlight of this sonic drubbing with a slicing guitar sound and frantic drumming. At this point I was feeling a little grubby and my mouth was dry as if all this fuzziness was having a physical effect. The tail end of this album lacks the ideas of the first two thirds with 'Fuck It Up Right Now' being the pick of the bunch with its Sabbath style main riff. It's a little difficult to mention any other bands to act as a comparison, the nearest I've come are a few shades of Queens of the Stone Age especially in 'Thunderforce Mother Fucker' but these are few and far between.
'Virtua-Rock' is twenty-six minutes of pure un-adulterated attitude with song after song going for the throat, making you want to move, shout and play that air guitar time after time. The songs themselves never get tiresome due to their short time span, however, around about the twelfth track all of Sludgefeasts arrows have been shot so to speak but by that time you've had your fix. Some of the songs such as 'Engine On' had room for another thirty seconds or maybe even a minute or so but this is a minor criticism. With a free DVD of cheap concert footage and a promo video shot for under ten quid the whole package is short but worthy of your hard earned cash especially if you like fuzzy sharp in your face ROCK! Right, I'm off for a bath.