Release
date: September 25th 2015. Label: Retro futurist. Formats:
CD/DD/Vinyl
Breaks
– Tracklisting
1.Thundersnow
07:27
2.Show
Some Shame 04:04
3.Elect
My Best Friend for a Better World 09:27
4.Quezalteca
Deathswitch Blues 04:42
5.The
Forgiveness Machine 06:38
6.No
Sky July 09:34
7.The
Painted Desert 12:26
Band
Members:
Francis
Beringer - bass/vocals
Stefanie
Zaenker - drums/vocals
Andrew
Yonki - guitar
Review:
Caustic
Casanova is a band I’ve just came across when I was sent their new
album – Breaks to review. Caustic Casanova has been round since
2005. Wow. And I’ve never heard of them until now. Oh well, better
late than never. Newly signed to Kylesa record label – Retro
Futurist, their new album – Breaks is one that’s very hard to
describe. Parts Sludge, Doom, Stoner, Psych, Noise Rock and even
Indie Rock. Caustic Casanova has there own approach to heavy based
music. If you’re a fan of Kylesa, Torche and Helms Alee then you
better check this album out now as Breaks is a sheer heavy musical
delight from start to finish.
Opening
track – Thundersnow – has a heavy sludge rock approach though it
has a lovely psychedelic pop feel that Torche/Floor are known for.
The dual vocals of Stephanie and Francis give this song an exciting
lo-fi post-punk vibe as the band will confuse and delight you in
equal measure. The album has quite a schizophrenic feel as the band
throw almost every kind of heavy rock genre at you. The band even
includes traces of Space Rock towards the end of the song. You can
see why they were signed to Retro Futurist as they have a lot in
common with Kylesa. It’s a fantastic sound which the rest of the
album follows.
Second
track – Show Some Shame – is an upbeat Sludge/Stoner/Psych Rock
number with fast-paced guitars and spiky pop based vocals courtesy of
Francis. Stephanie’s drumming is a constant threat through out and
when the dual vocals return you can’t help thinking this band would
be brilliant touring partners for Torche. It’s perhaps the
recognisable Doom/Sludge pop vibe that Torche is known for but
Caustic Casanova create their own style of addictive sludge pop. This
is one of the albums standout tracks.
Third
track – Elect My Best Friend For A Better World – as you may tell
from the title itself is a more personal and bleaker tale compared to
the opening two tracks. It’s a doomier affair with intricate
post-punk riffs that slowly builds the atmosphere for the heavier
riffs to come crashing in. It does take time for them to appear but
the song runs for 9:30 mins and it’s a highly emotional song. Once
the Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs arrive you’re confronted with a bleak
atmosphere as the band has written bleak lyrics that have power to
bring a tear to your eye. Though the power of the riff compels me
more to go into full HEADBANGING mode and I’m ashamed to say that I
did.
Fourth
track – Quezalteca Deathswitch Blues – may have a crazy title and
one that only Caustic Casanova knows the true meaning of. The band
switch musical gears yet again. This is more of a
Doom/Post-Punk/Stoner sound with the dual vocals having an Indie Rock
vibe. The vocals maybe quite jarring for some to enjoy but I dig them
as these vocals have passion and an identity all of their own.
Fifth
track – The Forgiveness Machine – opens with a thumping bass line
before the usual sludgy/doomy guitars kick in. It’s played at a
deliberate slow-pace with Francis’s vocals being the main focus
whilst the music becomes heavier and more psychedelic as time passes
by.
The
last two songs – No Sky July and The Painted Desert – take up 21
minutes of the albums run time and both perhaps contain the albums
heaviest sounds and more far-out ideas as Caustic Casanova in
creating a surreal trippy psychedelic vibe, The sounds drift from
Post-Punk, Space, Stoner, Sludge and Doomy atmospherics whilst
offering a bleak pop sensibility. Yeah it can be confusing at times
but you’re never bored for a second. Even I don’t know what is
going on from time to time but that’s what makes this album so
exciting. It dares to be different from other albums out there.
Breaks
is a surreal and psychedelic out-of-control sludge riff fest and one
that can be classed as one of the most innovative albums of the year.
I had low expectations for this album and I always love albums more
that not only defy genre conventions but my own expectations as well.
Yeah, I loved this album. Breaks is going to end up as one of my fave
records of 2015.
Thanks
to Michelle at Noisy Ghost PR for the promo. Breaks is available to
buy now on CD/DD from Retro Futurist Records. Vinyl will be released
via Retro Futurist Records at a later date.
Words
by Steve Howe
