Car Bomb - w​^​w​^​^​w​^​w (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 25th September 2012

Label: Self Released

 

 

 

Track Listing

1) The Sentinel 03:18

2) Auto-named 00:49

3) Finish It 02:34

4) Lower The Blade 04:25

5) Garrucha 05:42

6) Third Revelation 04:22

7) Recursive Patterns 03:12

8) Spirit Of Poison 05:40

9) Magic Bullet 05:38

10) Crud 04:05

11) This Will Do The Job 05:39

12) The Seconds 04:32

 

 

Bio

 CAR BOMB started as early as the year 2000, when two New York based bands, Neck and Spooge, shared a rehearsal space beneath a local butcher shop in Rockville Center, Long Island. The two bands found themselves frequenting each other’s rehearsals and developed a mutual respect. Neck was one of the New York hardcore scene’s most unique and brutal acts, and Spooge was an sonic orgy of Zappa- and Mr. Bungle-influenced virtuosic madness. Once both bands called it quits, the need to play heavier and more complex music drove Modell to seek out other musicians. In 2002, he recruited Kubacki to play in a project that would inevitably become CAR BOMB. After various personnel changes Kubacki enlisted his old band mate, Dafferner, from Neck and Modell drafted Hoffman from Spooge. Together they began writing songs and playing shows locally on Long Island and throughout New York City. Early on, the group was nearly sued by General Motors for selling merchandise that defaced the Cadillac logo with the “CAR BOMB” name. That’s when they knew they had something special. After winning over thousands of fans on Myspace (they created one of the first software bots that automatically invited friends), they signed to Relapse Records in 2006 and released their critically-acclaimed debut full-length, Centralia, in 2007.

For the next three years, CAR BOMB performed all over the U.S. and Canada with bands like High On Fire, Pig Destroyer, A Life Once Lost, Last Chance To Reason, Dysrhythmia, Body Count, M.O.D, Crisis, The Chariot and more. Ever since a fateful show with The Cavalera Conspiracy and Gojira, CAR BOMB have developed mutual respect for each other’s music and have forged quality friendships. Gojira’s Joseph Duplantier was kind enough to even make a guest vocal appearance on the new track “Third Revelation.”

CAR BOMB ’s sophomore album titled w^w^^w^w (often referred to as “double-u click double-u” for short) is their most ambitious and diverse release to date. The title is a reference to one of the song’s musical themes, but the band hesitates to say which one. “After a few listens fans will get it… it’s pretty obvious,” states Modell. Songs on the record range from the 50-seconds of syncopated chaos that is “Auto-named,” and the catchy, mid-tempo “Lower The Blade,” to the speed metal infused “The Seconds.” Each song displays the typical chaotic timing that is signature CAR BOMB.

After finishing a second U.S. tour with Gojira during the Summer of 2012, CAR BOMB is anxious to release w^w^^w^w and get back on the road. “This has been a really long journey, but we’re all really proud and excited about this record,” says Greg. “We are always in awe of other bands and artists that are on the forefront of creativity, and we hope we can somehow contribute to that ideology and do it justice.”

 

 

CAR BOMB is

Michael Dafferner - Vocals
Elliot Hoffman - Drums
Greg Kubacki - Guitars
Jon Modell - Bass

 

 

Review

It takes a group of precocious individuals to be able to produce a record such as this, Car Bomb the band, is just that, an incendiary device which is triggered to devastate and w​^​w​^​^​w​^​w does just that, from the outset, this record pulverises.  Tight, intricate riffs with the ferocity and stopping power of a Browning M2 .50 calibre machine.  This is Car Bombs 'Ma Deuce', with a cyclic rate of riffs hurtling at you at 800 rounds per minute and at 1,200 rpm, the music we have here is designed to cause maximum damage.  The synchronised music bears the firepower to penetrate steel over an inch thick at distance of 500 yards, so it is advisable to take every precaution necessary to ensure you're own safety. This is a weaponised killing machine of a record.

Car Bomb have created a record of precision, accuracy and immense stopping power.  Indeed w​^​w​^​^​w​^​w is  as dynamic and it is unyielding.  Although I am certain that what you hear is in fact the musicians playing their instruments, the drums have that triggered feel to them.  Elliot Hoffman, does indeed possess a Drumkit from Hell.  The arsenal of mechanised drums are ferocious and the measure of the intelligently crafted riffs.  It is unrelenting chaos with the possibility of uncontrollable hemorrhaging being one of the many consequences of this record's power.  Those people with hemophilia approach this record with caution and beware of chromatic death.  Throughout the record the guitars are frenetic with technical polyrhymic riffing, accentuated with descending pick scrapes, slides and pinch harmonics incorporated to excellent affect.  These are just some of the startling features of this seemingly ambidextrous or adroit virtuosic band. 

w​^​w​^​^​w​^​w is almost bereft of common parameters, such as power chords, instead it is structured around intricate alternative picking with almost cyberdyne robotic precision and poly rhythmic flair.  Such is the technical dexterity of the band, Car Bomb will leave you confused and in awe in equal measure.  It is as if the band have hard wired themselves into your cerebral cortex, and are intend on fucking with the higher functions of your nervous system.  Invoking involuntary muscle activity and turning us on to the learning's of Car Bomb and the language of w​^​w​^​^​w​^​w . 

Through all the apparent chaos, everything seems ordered within the context of the record, in the sense that within all the oscillating dynamics of the music, there is a resistor of some sort, wired into this mechanised beast in order to self regulate the chaos before it derails itself.  It is as if Car Bomb are sticking to a set of rules or principles, an algorithm if you will, A finite set of unambiguous instructions performed in a prescribed sequence.  Except in the case of Car Bomb there methodology is for the music to be that intricate prescribed sequence. 

The simple facts of this record is that within it's multi faceted formula lies unparallelled jaw dropping ability.  In fact with musicianship this amazing, the future of this band has no boundaries or limits. For me w^w^^w^w  must rank among the year's most intense and uncompromising records.  Which is a testament to the band's decision to single handedly oversee every aspect of this record's gestation and do it on their own terms.  This record is outstanding, and to me it is a 10/10 record.  Absolutely incredible.  Buy this record!

Check out the band using the links below.  You can buy a DD of w​^​w​^​^​w​^​w here and CD/Vinyl here.  Thanks to EarSplit for hooking us up with the record to review.

Written by: Aaron Pickford

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