Dom Daley
Eleven tracks of prime garage rock and referencing Sonny Vincent is never going to be a bad move (not round these parts anyway). With a B Movie introduction, we’re in! Its lo-fi hi-fi and the drums thump the floor tom and the wall of garage fuzz is a welcome sound before the vocals kick in. ‘Bitter Path’ is full steam ahead and a great way to start any record as the guitars wail the rhythm section hold things steady and stop this hot rod veering off the track but it’s in the fucked up Fuzztones path and that’s somewhere not a lot of bands are heading these days (mores the pity) but RPM is always going to sit up and take notice as ‘Mirror Mirror’ has more than a nod to the Lords OF The New Church about it and I like that a lot.
The title track is more of the same as the band’s modus operandi is simple. Rock out – turn up the fuzz pedal – slam the floor tom and snare with passion and energy and get the heart and soul of the song captured on tape (or digital file or whatever gadgetry they use these days).
With a nod of respect to the bands forefathers waaay back in the 60’s who first got a little psychedelic and fucked up and then more than a nod to the likes of the Stooges and Mc5. One of the most intriguing songs is the snotty ‘Sonny Vincent Knows’ and a visceral axe-wielding is hacking at the chords as the sirens wail and feedback is just about contained it’s a fantastic rush of blood.
That snotty edge is maintained on ‘Oedipus Hex’ as it hacks and slashes to its conclusion. The punk rock comes to the fore on the next few tracks as ‘Wait And See’ is like a 60’s mop top track that’s been captured tortured and fed illegal amounts of caffeine. I can imagine DC Spectres need to be seen live to get the full value of these songs and take in their full potential. There’s even time to dance with the devil on ‘Diablo 66’ before getting the fuck out of dodge which only leaves ‘Island Girl’ to close off a really impressive album with talk of Voodoo and a more measured groove taking this bad boy home ‘Vibrations’ is an excellent introduction to a band and one I’d certainly recommend.
