Spider Kitten - Major Label Debut (Album Review)

 

Release Date: November 12th 2021. Record Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

Major Label Debut  - Tracklisting

1.A Problematic Favourite 02:36

2.The Art Of Sleeping

3.Maladjusted

4.Hearts & Mindworms

5.Self Care (Makes Me Wanna Die)

6.Cherophobia

7.Sandbagged (Whoa, Yeah!)

8.Over The Edge

Members

Chi Lameo - vox, guitars

Chris West - bass, vox, guitars

Jeesus Jones - drums, bass, vox

Review

What a way for Spider Kitten to celebrate their 20th Anniversary as a band by releasing one their best releases to date with Major Label Debut. With the band drawing upon bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, TAD and the Sub Pop Records roster. The band have written a serious album that does touch upon Mental Health Trauma though the grooves are varied especially when Spider Kitten brings a heavy Sludge/Stoner Rock shine to the album.

There’s only 8 songs on the record and they’re quite short compared to Spider Kitten standards. So the guys have gone for a direct style of Grunge/Stoner Rock with even the vocals getting a grungy makeover with shades of Chris Cornell and Layne Staley being heard. The music is frantically heavy with the first few songs A Problematic Favourite, The Art Of Sleeping, Maladjusted and Hearts & Mindworms  being perhaps the standout songs of the record with the deep Soundgarden/AIC influence but told within Spider Kitten unique way of twisted storytelling. 

There’s a heavy Punk Rock aesthetic with this album and Spider Kitten drift away from the Grunge world to the more Punk based Alternative Sound for the remainder of the album onwards from Self Care (Makes Me Wanna Die). I will admit it does slow down the exciting atmosphere of the album just a little bit but it’s good seeing Spider Kitten bringing a more experimental sound for this part of the record. Though this part of the album moves into fast based Punk-Rock/Alternative Rock territory, the band still manage to find the time to bring that earlier Grunge based sound on the final stages of the album.

The instrumental work is excellent and makes you take notice of things currently being played around you. There is a lot of cool musical creativity on this album with Spider Kitten touching upon a hard subject such as Mental Health. I’m thankful that Spider Kitten has tackled the subject in a superbly entertaining manner.

Major Label Debut is a welcome return to form for Spider Kitten and ranks as one of their best releases to date. This record will no doubt impress their already established fanbase and maybe entice a few more followers to the Spider Kitten cause.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Spider Kitten for the promo. 

Major Label Debut will be available to buy on CD/DD from November 12th 2021

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Twitter

Spider Kitten - Ark Of Octofelis (Album Review)

Release date: April 29th 2016. Label: Undergroove Records . Format: LP, CD, Cassette and DD

Ark Of Octofelis – Tracklisting

Side One - 1.Underestimating The Consequences Of Effective Propaganda (Part I) 2.Feline Will

Side Two - 1.The Ark 2. One From The Heart 3. Hymn 4. Duplicitous 5. Launch 6. Underestimating The Consequences Of Effective Propaganda (Part II)

Band Members:

Chi Lameo – Vocals, Guitar

Chris West – Drums, Vocals

Steve Jones – Bass

Gareth Day – Guitar

Review:

Newport’s Spider Kitten do a lot to evoke their name – mashing together two or more often dissimilar genres or elements and splicing them together to form a hybrid that has many familiar elements, but is still something wholly individual. Ark Of Octofelis, their latest release in what is amounting to a truly titanic back catalogue, continues to showcase their skill in combining their wide ranging influences, and their continuing pursuit of doing whatever the fuck they want musically.

Side One kicks off with forlorn, reverb heavy notes, which are joined by smooth, low vocals. A sampled helicopter whirls by, delivering some splashy cymbals and a robust, downcast bass groove. This ushers in a lush, dreamy crawl through multi-layered, ethereal vocals and subdued guitars, punctuated by jazzy drum fills and a rising organ solo. It’s somewhat rambling, all about subtle progressions and natural, organic change. Pleasingly retro, the rhythm section is the thread that pulls you along, while the guitars, vocals and keys sprinkle on additional gloss. Moving into ‘Feline Will’, backmasked guitars and shimmering synths add to the ‘acid daydream’ vibes, before the guitars mesh with the rest of the instruments for a triumphant drive home. The repeated vocal refrain of “I submit unto the spider/its feline will be done” acts as a canny, slightly tongue in cheek reference to the band themselves, as well as the overall concept storyline behind this release.

Side Two jams in with the bright, almost flamenco picked guitar lines of ‘The Ark’. Altogether the second side is more varied, a buffet compared to the set-meal of side one. While this lifts you up, the underpinning bass notes that slide in add a sense of unease, the guitar injecting slight atonality to reflect this. It’s breathless, giddy stuff, synths building up to an intense, almost uncomfortable wall of sound, before the fading out to a rampant, fuzzed out riff. It’s a real blues-driven stomper, driving forwards with ballsiness before the tension breaks into big groaning, doomy chords and whining guitars.

Layered group vocals add a sense of drama, the riffs and drums slowly building pace, working towards something, chiming bells and a running riff pushing us on, before winding down to a lumbering, sludgey breakdown, ending with a squeal of feedback. The acoustic guitars resurface, the band flexing their folk muscles, with layered, dusky vocals and additional percussion echoing an earlier form of songwriting, one as old as the land itself. A serious spoken word segment is thrown amongst the jangling, ascending chords before things end abruptly, replaced by the fade-in of an angry mob and a huge, knurled bass riff and tribal tom hits. The palm muted, dense chug is pierced by a whining, alarm-like synth, the riff lumbering along, predatory. It builds to a climax of juddering synth and grinding feedback. The same mournful notes that open side one return, and you’re trapped in a never ending cycle. And that’s alright by us.

Even using twice as many words, you cannot begin to fully account for what Spider Kitten can do in the 40 plus minutes on offer. A melting pot of influences and themes, they bring a lot to the table without sounding hackneyed, directionless, or like a pastiche. The instrumentation is natural and excellent, never forced. A daunting listen, and one that deserves time dedicated to it to truly appreciate, but totally worth it. With repeated spins, you’ll find hidden depths. Submit unto the spider.

Favourite track: Feline Will.

Words by Jamie Hampshire

Thanks to Richard at Sheltered Life PR for the promo. Ark Of Octofelis will be available to buy on CD/DD/Cassette/Vinyl via Undergroove Records from April 29th 2016.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp