Caninus "Now the Animals Have a Voice" CD
[War Torn]
Here's the debut EP from this vegan, pro-dog adoption, anti-dog buying/breeding outfit that just happens to contain members of Most Precious Blood... with two pitbulls, Budgie and Basil, handling "vocals". The musical approach is a mix of drum machine grindcore and brutal metallic hardcore, with everything from crushing breakdowns and chugging chord progressions to thick melodic lead lines or midpaced rhythms that are a little more memorable (see "New Yorkie Crew (Loyal Like a Stone, for example"). "No Dogs, No Masters" is among the faster and more grind oriented pieces, as is "Human Rawhide", which is a fucking killer song that somehow perfectly exhibits everything this band is shooting for. Fuck, I mean, that one literally sounds like a real song, "vocals" and all. "Brindle Brickheads (Unprecedented Ferocity)" even has a sinister acoustic guitar break going on!? Also included are a few random tracks such as the hilarious "Studio Guy Gets Pissed" where some douchebag engineer at one of the studios used for the sessions overreacts because he's clearly scared shitless of the dogs for no apparent reason. Classic. Overall the concept is hilarious and well executed, complete with the snarling/barking pitbulls often coherently arranged against the music, so the only thing that kind of hinders the listen is the production. The drum machine is of course somewhat thin and ineffective (though it does get the job done and could be much worse), but my biggest issue is that the bass is practically inaudible and the guitar tone sounds like it was recorded direct - so rather than being thick and powerful it's kind of rigid and has a digital/unnatural vibe. Two demo tracks are included on the CD version as a bonus, and though rugged, they're actually heavier and more effective overall - kind of possessing that whole raw gore grind aesthetic in an effective manner (the bass tone in "Fuck the A.K.C." is especially awesome). The layout looks great and includes plenty of paintings and collaged imagery dealing with pitbulls and such, including fake lyrics, song explanations, etc. Everything is printed on matte paper and that definitely adds to the quality of the visuals. Of course all of the material deals with pitbulls and a general sense of respect for dogs as a whole, but despite the sense of humor going on here all of the stuff actually does carry a serious message, specifically regarding the myths and inaccuracies surrounding the portrayal of pitbulls as vicious animals that are excessively violent and aggressive. The EP is also available on awesome looking spattered vinyl (pitbull colored, no less) for those into the collectible side of things. This is good stuff. Definitely good for a laugh, but it's got a real message as well. And, almost ironically, with a bit of extra oomph in the recording department they could actually make a damn fine little band out of this! (7/10)
Running time - 11:11, Tracks: 14
[Notable tracks: Bite the Hand That Breeds You, Human Rawhide, Canine Core]
War Torn Records - http://www.wartornrecords.com

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