I have always been a fan of compilations right from my first tentative steps into the musical netherworld. Metal For Muthas, Axe Attack, Heavy Metal Thunder and Metal Killerz Kollection played a vital part in my discovery of so many bands. Of course in later years I lovingly made and received mix tapes and cds. We were obsessed with their bizarre rules and track listings, forever trying to impress with obscure tracks and bands. That is why this compilation album is such a joy, with a great balance of bands that are new and exciting as well as more familiar names contributing previously unreleased music.
Things kick of in the most excellent of ways with a band that is new to me called Anunnaki , there is no messing around here, under four and a half minutes of dirty fuzz guitar that is just piled on top of a pounding beat, what’s not to like? Next up are Backhomes who deliver something from the other end of the psych spectrum, It is a dreamy kind of piece with lots of dark undercurrents. With the next track being by Hawkeyes, I am back on familiar territory. I first wrote about them a couple of years back and they are regulars on my turntable, this track bears more resemblance to their split 12″ with Radiation Flowers that came out on Cardinal Fuzz earlier this year. Up next are Moths & Locusts who tap into a 70’s vibe but with contemporary twist, their new album is out now and can be found here. A change of style comes next with another new band that are new to me namely Psychic Pollution. A track that owes more than a little to the Krautrock sound of the 70’s and you know how much we like that. The aforementioned Radiation Flowers move things along nicely with gentle ‘Stuck In A Maze’. With the insanely good Shooting Guns offering track that builds and builds like a big buildy thing you can’t go wrong. Why I don’t own anything by them is beyond me, I must have missed out for some reason, I deserve a damn good thrashing that’s for sure. If I say the next track is by ‘The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol’ and you know the name then I need go no further. If for some reason you don’t know this band, know this, they are just superb, the venerable Cardinal Fuzz has been mining their back catalogue and releasing their new albums for a few years now and every single release has been fucking epic!
Job done! All winner, no binner…My guess this is only scratching the surface of what is happening on the Canadian underground but for those of you with even a passing interest this is the perfect place to start.
Heathenmofo 