The Birds of Satan - The Birds of Satan (26/05/2014)
Fans of Foo Fighters will be quick to rejoice upon listening to The Birds of Satan, a rambunctious and ambitious new venture for Foo Fighters drummer (and Iggy Pop lookalike) Taylor Hawkins.
Groovy riffs and a guest appearance by Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age reels the listener in with marathon track The Ballad of The Birds Of Satan. Raw and unapologetic, it's a song which I can imagine would be quite incredible to see performed live.
After such a spectacle of an opening number, it's a shame that single Thanks For The Line fails to really grab the listeners attention, and subsequently feels like filler materia. This is odd, considering that the album itself is only seven songs in length.
However, everything is redeemed with Pieces of the Puzzle, and the upbeat groove Nothing At All where The Birds of Satan truly spread their wings. The songs really allow Hawkins to show his strengths as a vocal frontman, which is in turn complimented by the instrumentals of fellow Birds, Wiley Hodgden and Mick Murphy.
Having ties with bands such as Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures and, obviously, Foo Fighters, it's no surprise that The Birds of Satan's debut record displays influences from all of the before mentioned. It's with the final track Too Far Gone To See that The Birds of Satan's true potential is revealed. A sombre finale, with Queen like harmonies layered within, Hawkins' gut punching vocals are juxtaposed with acoustic ballads which infuse the overall sound of the album's closing number, and provide a highlight of the debut.
While not by any means perfect, The Birds of Satan's debut record is a commendable release, one for those seeking their hit of unapologetic rock and roll. Will it go down as a record rival to Nevermind? Probably not. Is it the kind of album you'll want spinning on your record turntable? Without a doubt. Just make sure the volume is turned up to eleven.
Luke Sutton
Groovy riffs and a guest appearance by Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age reels the listener in with marathon track The Ballad of The Birds Of Satan. Raw and unapologetic, it's a song which I can imagine would be quite incredible to see performed live.
After such a spectacle of an opening number, it's a shame that single Thanks For The Line fails to really grab the listeners attention, and subsequently feels like filler materia. This is odd, considering that the album itself is only seven songs in length.
However, everything is redeemed with Pieces of the Puzzle, and the upbeat groove Nothing At All where The Birds of Satan truly spread their wings. The songs really allow Hawkins to show his strengths as a vocal frontman, which is in turn complimented by the instrumentals of fellow Birds, Wiley Hodgden and Mick Murphy.
Having ties with bands such as Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures and, obviously, Foo Fighters, it's no surprise that The Birds of Satan's debut record displays influences from all of the before mentioned. It's with the final track Too Far Gone To See that The Birds of Satan's true potential is revealed. A sombre finale, with Queen like harmonies layered within, Hawkins' gut punching vocals are juxtaposed with acoustic ballads which infuse the overall sound of the album's closing number, and provide a highlight of the debut.
While not by any means perfect, The Birds of Satan's debut record is a commendable release, one for those seeking their hit of unapologetic rock and roll. Will it go down as a record rival to Nevermind? Probably not. Is it the kind of album you'll want spinning on your record turntable? Without a doubt. Just make sure the volume is turned up to eleven.
Luke Sutton