I really enjoyed the last album ‘All Blood Is Red’ from Tribazik but understandably had all but forgotten about them seeing as it came out in 2009 and I haven’t really heard anything else about them since then. They are back though and seem to have gained some appreciation from the likes of The Young Gods, have worked with Youth, Chris Liberator, Venetian Snares and also in the past had none other than Jaz Coleman do guest vocals for them. Needless to say it was pretty much a given that I was keen to see how the band had progressed and easily got into their brand of Data Warfare on pretty much the first spin. They describe themselves as a cross genre mash up mixing up everything from thrash to rave and with many other styles also thrown into a heavy melting pot with a big emphasis on electronics throughout; indeed at times the digital parts do sound like they are about to launch into some sort of hi-tech warfare. Jerry Kandiah & Hedge Seel had been involved in both metal and had their own sound system on the underground rave circuit and third member Syan had been prolific in the much missed bruising British electro crossover act Interlock. Obviously they have been honing the already formidable sound built up on that first album and the results are pretty damn impressive.
Bouncy and spacey effects spring to a lead heavy groove as we burst into opener ‘Too Dead To Care.’ The sci-fi glo-stick waving beats are if music has colours corresponding to it neon hued and when the vocals come in, they back them up perfectly with an anthem etched clean focus about them. They are a bit reminiscent of The Deftones here when they get to the chorus and there is a big feel of Gojira as well although that could be to do with the ‘universe expanding’ lyrical output. Be prepared for plenty of strange sounds and body popping frequencies as the album gives you plenty of moves as it goes through giddy motions that are filled with infectious harmonies guaranteed to have you dancing, especially I would imagine live at full force. One of the tracks that particularly stand’s out is ‘Life Force Energy’ which hits like a mix of The Prodigy (even nabbing some bitchy slap up sounds) and vocally latter era Killing Joke. I can see this going down a storm at a festival and hell for that matter if they were taken on tour with the aforementioned KJ who as much as I love them do have the habit of having naff bands opening for them.
With tracks averaging the 5 minute mark and each and every one offering different quirky nuances there’s plenty here to keep the interest levels up and wondering what is going to come next. ‘12th Disclosure’ has some military sounding samples and an urgency that hits like a high level security alert at full-force. ‘Sonar Sumeria’ adds some dark drum and bass to the equation and effects that remind me of projects like Black Dog as much as say the cyber thrash of a metal act like Fear Factory who never quite hit some of the experimental peaks found here. As for ‘Spacetime Collapse’ it’s like an ‘Asterrrrrroid’ hitting another dimension after being flung through a black hole via dub, grime and gonzoid rave. It’s enough to make your head melt! If you were wondering about a touch of space rock well some of the whooshing sounds amidst the rafter raising vocal yells of ‘Bloodline Crossbreed’ come pretty close and the track also allows some slow moody parts to have you nodding along too.
The words “next big thing for 2014” unashamedly came with the PR blurb I received with this album download link but you know what, I am not disagreeing and this could be a distinct possibility. Tribazik certainly have the crossover potential to straddle audiences and even play different sort of events and on the strength of these songs definitely deserve the opportunity. Feel the energy at the links below!
(8/10 Pete Woods)
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