“Hey Lee, how do you fancy reviewing a drum and bass album”? the Ed enquired. As he hastily retreated amidst a shower of expletives, threats and assorted stationery he informed me under protest that this was drum and bass album as in drums and a bass guitar. Actual instruments with real people playing them. I put down the fax machine and considered this for a moment. An instrumental album consisting of a bass guitar and a drum kit…that’s going to be terrible. Isn’t it?
Fossils are a meat beating Danish duo comprised of drummer Per Silkaer and bassist Simon Tornby, and so far have served up two previous flesh based offerings in the form of their debut ‘Meat Rush’ and EP ‘The Veal Thing’. ‘Flesh Hammer’ continues the theme and they even go so far as to have the band logo and album title laser etched onto a piece of beef jerky for the album cover. Their sound is as beefy as they suggest and those who would suggest that you can’t achieve a big enough sound with so little are in for a sizeable shock, myself included. The initial bludgeoning onslaught sends you reeling before you gather your composure and try and make sense of it all. It is a mixture of groove, rock, hardcore punk and even a dab of industrial. Comprised of complex but not impenetrable rhythms, the songs are short, sharp and intense, with all tracks coming in well under the two and a half minute mark. The track titles are inventive and entertaining too, with titles such as ‘Lard Obstacle’, ‘Pelvis Crust’, ‘Spamtastic’ and ‘Crack Horse’ ensuring that things are not taken too seriously.
Musically they are a reminder of just how powerful a noise you can make as a two piece and they remind me a lot of LA doomsters Black Cobra in that respect, with plenty of energy and expression. As impressive as they are though, there is no escaping the limitations that they have set themselves and in listening to this album in its entirety it becomes susceptible to the law of diminishing returns. They have given themselves a particularly finite workspace, and whilst they have very quickly and very thoroughly explored that space the overall sound gets a bit repetitive as the album goes on and the ideas are revisited, making it seem rather longer than its 20 minute running time. There’s a lot here to enjoy and applaud, and I must admit I’d really like to see them perform these live, but as with any novelty the longevity of the band is limited.
(7/10 Lee Kimber)
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