AL BUM REVIEW: Spidergawd - "IV"

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 24/02/2017

Label: Crispin Glover Records |

Stickman Records

“IV” is eight tracks that follow the verse-chorus-verse-chorus formula and does so with licks, vocals, lyrics and melodies that are sharp, fast, and poignant. As far as that’s concerned, there’s absolutely nothing to complain about.

“IV” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Is This Love?

2). I Am the Night

3). LouCille

4). Ballad of a Millionaire (Song for Elina)

5). What Have You Become

6). The Inevitable

7). Heaven Comes Tomorrow

8). Stranglehold

The Review:

Spidergawd descends upon us from the northern heights of Norway with their most focused work, “IV.” As the name suggests, this is the band’s 4th album. It should also be mentioned that at this point, the band has only been around for four years. Impressive? Quite!

Their roots lay deep in the world of Motorpsycho but Spidergawd is a much different animal. “IV” jumps out of the speakers as a rollicking, gritty, intense rock album that brings as much Van Halen to mind as it does Foo Fighters. Yeah, you read that right, Foo Fighters. But I’m referring to their ’95-’97 period. The good years. So, as you’d expect, “IV” is pretty much just eight tracks that follow the verse-chorus-verse-chorus formula and does so with licks, vocals, lyrics and melodies that are sharp, fast, and poignant. As far as that’s concerned, there’s absolutely nothing to complain about.

The double kick gas pedal keeps the pistons moving in “Is This Love?” Singer Per Borten belts his way through an emotional chorus, “You don’t think I don’t know by now / I realize that you’re in love again / as you walk out of my door…I see that I’m out of time, out of time to make you mine,” and does so with such gusto that the song sounds more of a celebration than a breakup.

“IV’s midsection is that meat and potatoes riff-rock. “We Must Come to Pass” runs a tight vocal melody before diving into a sly guitar solo accented by the baritone tones of the saxophone. This is Spidergawd’s way of saying that they can also handle subtlety, which, thanks to the control they have over their songs, works very much to the band’s advantage. Take “What Have You Become,” for example, which shows Spidergawd at their most lean and mean. A hearty don’t-bore-us-get-to-the-chorus start moves its way effortlessly into a set of verses that falls very much in line with the Nordic Rock scene. An absolute blast, that’s for sure. This is a song that’s going to sound great once we can start driving around town with the windows down and the breeze in our hair.

“IV” is available here & here

Band info: Official|| Facebook