Scientist - "Scientist" (Album Review)

By: Chris Markwell

 

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 28/6/2013
Label: Independent |
Hell Comes Home

…the guitar simply rocks. From its muted opening riff to its lightning-spewing final moments, it just sounds evil in the best possible way. If you’re looking for a sonic treasure, you’ve struck gold (oh yes, I went there).

“Scientist” CD//DD//LP track listing:

 

1). Au (79/196.97)

2). Ti (22/47.867)

3). O (15.999)

4). Kr (36/83.80)

5). Pb (87.207.2)

6) . H20 (18.152)

7). Co2 (1.1/44)

8). Os(76/190.23)

The Review:

 

So, here I am, minding my own business, when the Lords of Sludge on high pass me a very unusual assignment. “This is Scientist,” came the murky voice of my Overlord, “and this is a band… who will make your world a much more… heavy place.”

How could anyone resist such a tempting offer?

Let’s get down to it: Scientist are from Chicago, so naturally their sound carries with it an air of gangster swagger and ferocious bluster. Not only that, their music is pretty much entirely instrumental: on first listen, it’s a strange welding of traditional heavy metal, jazz exploration and punk attitude. But what did you expect from a band whose members are Eric Plonka (from Yakuza) and Justin Cape and Patrick Auclair (FIREISBORN)? Cuddles and glitter parties? Get outta here.

The self-titled album is, on closer inspection, a true-blue riff-o-rama, with riffs so thick you could use it to recover dual carriageways. The fact that each track is also named after an element or compound and its atomic number serves both as a lovely educational aside and as an indicator of each song’s contents: “Ti (22/47.867)” (or Titanium) is a heavy, girder-strong slab of metal, whereas “H2O (18.152)” is a slippery, sweeping creation that reveals its true dangerous majesty once you’ve gotten too far into it to escape.

If I had to pick one track from this album that must be listened to by everybody (yes, even by you), I’d have to say you take your ears over to “Au (79/196.97)”. Why? Well, for starters, this track has actual vocals on it: vocals which simply sneer, stab and strike with deadly precision at you. Have I mentioned the guitars yet? No? Allow me to rectify that: the guitar simply rocks on this track. From its muted opening riff to its lightning-spewing final moments, it just sounds evil in the best possible way. If you’re looking for a sonic treasure, you’ve struck gold (oh yes, I went there).

Scientist is a band with dark machinations running through its mind, and a storm cloud brewing over its mountaintop lab. Who knows what the next lightning storm will bring out of their crazed abode? For now, keep those torches and pitchforks safely stowed and enjoy their latest creation. IT’S ALIVE! IT’S ALIIIIIIVE!!!

 

“Scientist” digitally here and on vinyl here

 

 

Band info: bandcamp ||facebook