Wednesday 22 November 2017

The Atomic Bitchwax - Force Field (Album Review)


Release date: December 8th 2017. Label: Tee Pee Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Force Field - Tracklisting

01. Hippie Speedball
02. Earth Shaker (Which Doobie U Be)
03. Alaskan Thunder Fuck
04. Shocker
05. Crazy
06. Fried Dyed And Layin To The Side
07. Shell of a Man
08. Houndstooth
09. Tits and Bones
10. Humble Brag
11. Super Highway
12. Liv A Little

Members

Chris Kosnik - bass, vocals
Bob Pantella - drums, percussion
Finn Ryan - guitar, vocals

Review

Legendary Space/Stoner Rockers - The Atomic Bitchwax (TAB) - return with their seventh album. Force Field carries on from their excellent last album with the band providing almost thirty five minutes of Spaced Out Stoner Rock grooves. Maybe the band doesn't try anything new with their sound on this album. Why should they? - As they've already came up with a winning formula to entertain their loyal subjects with.

The twelve songs held on the album all last around three minutes in length but TAB manages to provide some different spaced out riffs compared to their last album.

Opening track - Hippie Spaceball - is good as anything the band have put out in years with TAB creating a blaze of Stoner Rock glory that will soon get you in the mood to rock out. The music is fast paced and allows TAB to play as many different sounds they possibly can from their epic career. The vocals are dynamic from the start. As they have a punk rock manic energy to them.

Second track - Earth Shaker (Which Doobie U Be) - is definitely as Stoner Rock song not only in style but also in manic delivery. The riffs leave you in a hypnotic and trippy trance. The song does have a classic Fu Manchu sound at times but TAB inject a classic sounding seventies stoner/doom/space atmosphere. The whole sound of the album has a more space/psych rock vibe compared to their recent albums. It allows TAB to create a more vibrant and classic sounding album.

Though TAB always bring the goods to whatever album they release. With twelve songs on the album, I would be virtually here all day reviewing every track. Let's not kid ourselves here. We know how TAB sound. Force Field is packed full of great songs that will have the wide majority of the Psych/Stoner Rock community rocking out in agreement at the majority of the excellent songs held on this album for days on end.

Other great songs to check out are: Alaskan Thunder Fuck, Shocker, Crazy, Shell Of A Man, Humble Brag and Super Highway. The lyrics once again have a playful and hugely entertaining vibe to them. I may have even heard slight references to Thin Lizzy lyrics and riffs on songs such as Alaskan Thunder Duck.

The production and whole sound of the album is excellent from the start. With the band sounding the best and most energetic they've sounded in years. TAB should now be considered one of the most iconic Stoner Rock bands along with Fu Manchu, SLEEP and Monster Magnet. Force Field only enhances that well-deserved reputation.

With the year almost over and sites prepping their best albums of the year already, it's good to see TAB making a claim for releasing one of the best albums of the year in my humble opinion. Force Field is a brilliantly entertaining album that oozes class from one of the best Stoner Rock bands in the business.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Becky at Pioneer Music Press and Carl at Action PR for the promo. Force Field will be available to buy via Tee Pee Records on CD/DD/Vinyl from December 8th 2017.

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