Taint/Black Eye Riot "split" CD
[Black Phoenix]
Taint is an interesting, sludgy rock band from the UK with songs that range from less than three minutes to around a massive 10. There are lots of nice melodic riffs, a little bit of dissonance, tons of texture, and excellent vocal shouts. The best part is that they don't rely too heavily on the stale traditions of the genre, and when such influences become apparent they're usually manipulated in a way that keeps things fresh. For the most part it's really just heavy rock. I wouldn't call it "stoner rock" per se, it just has moments that bring such a genre to mind, and there are clearly a lot of 70's influences mingling around. The songwriting offers a lot of dynamics as well, notably in the tremendous "Chevy Chase", which introduces some singing vocals over throbbing bass and drums with lightly distorted guitars before opening up into a burst of raging chords and yells. I think they've got a solid recording with natural drums, fuzzy bass, dry vocals, aptly heavy guitars, and a clear mix. Nothing really bothers me. In a lot of ways they sort of remind me of some of the Hydra Head bands, actually. Good stuff overall. Black Eye Riot, also from the UK, is sort of similar in style, with a bit more feedback and distortion, and in my opinion less feeling in the writing department. There are lots of chunky rhythms with overloaded distortion textures, a diverse multi vocal attack, and a bit more speed, as the songs are much shorter (rarely topping three minutes). In some ways I can sense a little Motörhead influence on occasion, but only musically. There's definitely more of a hardcore/punk influence involved here, but the tones have that sludgier vibe. None of their songs really stand apart though, so while I can get into it, I find it boring following Taint's material. They also have a strong sound, not at all unlike Taint's mix, but I wish the guitars and bass were slightly more oppressive and dominant, especially during the slower moments. No big deal, though. The layout's pretty consistent. Everything is in black and white, tinted a very slight, faded purple color. The imagery consists of electrical towers and band equipment, as well as tiny live photos. Taint includes lyrics, Black Eye Riot includes more tiny photos instead. Lyrically Taint is back and forth from lines that I like a lot to portions that don't do much for me, but they do have a song called "Chevy Chase", which I must give two thumbs up, and they definitely have their moments: "Scores to be won, Souls to be burned, We see ourselves as disposable, Automated, factory/battery, assembly line lives is all we can see..." This is a good split, but I'd rather have heard a full-length from Taint, I must say. Fans of the genre should look into this though, as others would likely appreciate Black Eye Riot more than my discerning ears. (6/10)
Running time - 41:19, Tracks: 11
[Notable tracks: Chevy Chase, Boss or Boy?]
Black Eye Riot - http://www.blackeyeriot.com

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