Chickenhawk

The UK Metal and Hardcore scene’s are in very good shape, especially if you look to the underground. This year has already spawned some heavy gems in the form of Down I Go, Rolo Tomassi, Montana, Adebisi Shank, Maths, Throats… I would go on but I’m nowhere near immersed enough in it all to be an authority. I just know I have heard a truckload of awesome heavy stuff this year.

Chickenhawk’s self titled album is one monstrous slab of brutality filled to the brim with ideas that span thrash, hardcore, metal, and just down right in your face heavy stuff. They even hint on electro on the opening track, this isn’t inductive to the rest of the album mind, but it opens the thing well. That track is called Dude-a-tron and reminds me of Kernkraft 4000 by Zombie Nation but not as annoying and a lot more shouty.

If you want your head to nod until you have whiplash then this is an album for you. But this is no balls to the wall no brain metal album, it is full of passion and intelligence, with a wicked sense of fun.

The rest of the album has some massive riffs; Piglosaur has huge clattering drums like some primal beast as the guitar just tear it all up. At times Chickenhawk remind me of a meatier grunge band but not in a throw back sense, they sound fresh and I doubt they look at their shoes as much. The vocals are just as catchy as the riffs and are sung or screamed in an on edge kind of way or melodically harmonised in other places. Minus Infinity Killswitch brings the mood down with some beautiful yet dark acoustic strumming that gives way to some heavy guitar lines that get you stomping around wanting to smash your head into things. Things just get more messy when the absolutely huge sounding My Name Is Egg comes flying out of the blocks like a rampant freak looking for something with darting eyes and a limp. The hushed vocals add menace and then the riffs come back and some kind of chorus happens that sounds like the fragles gone metal, it’s brilliant. Other highlights include Kerosene, which just sounds so cool and catchy with a huge breakdown that twists and turns then drops back into the chorus. Mandarin Grin is blistering, The Pin makes for a freaked out slow jam that drops into beastly territories in a heartbeat. The closer Bottle Rocket shreds it too…

Chickenhawk RAWK! Hard and do everything you want a heavy band to do; bring the riffs, bring the fun, let loose and unleash some furry with passion so you can just let go and let it consume you.

(released 17/11/08)

http://www.myspace.com/chickenhawk