The
Band :
Anthony Vialon
| Guitars
Steve Brooks |
Vocals, Buitars
Henry Wilson |
Drums, Bass
Inspirational
records don't come along very often. The Stooges "Funhouse" was one
when I first heard it around the late '80s, "Nowhere" by Ride around
1990 was another and "Bullhead" by the Melvins changed things again
about a year later. I didn't play guitar when I first heard those records, but
I did by the time I heard Floor's self titled album.
I
remember reading that when musicians saw the Sex Pistols they quit their bands
and found punk, and for me hearing Floor was a similar experience. I quit the
crust-stoner band I was in, tuned down and started on my endless quest for the
ultimate combination of riff and tone. It's impossible to talk about Floor in other
terms, as the record is absolutely bursting at the seams with both. When that
opening low throb of "Scimitar" kicks in there is no way to avoid the
crushing power of that riff. Every cliché for reviewing how heavy music sounds
(glacial, tectonic, seismic, engulfing, etc etc) began with this riff. I
immediately knew that less is more, that regular musical theory is obsolete and
that "chops" mean nothing.
If
Floor had just played that opening riff for the duration of the record it would
still be one of the most magical records ever recorded, but of course they
were/are way better than that. Every song is just loaded with riffs that other
bands would kill for, only Floor would throw three of them into a two minute
song. There was no indulgence at all, no filler, no need to repeat anything to
fill space. This album is a template for how to use dynamics in heavy music,
but what sets it apart from every other ‘tuned to z’ band is the melody.
Although
I’ve grown up with Black Sabbath and all the rest, I’ve always loved melody in
a song. The cookie-monster death grunt thing never appealed to me, and I’d been
listening to bands like the Pixies a lot more than any heavy music for years.
Suddenly here was a band with the heaviest riffs ever, but welded together with
unbelievable melody and heart-wrenching vocals. One listen to “Tales of Lolita”
was enough to completely change how I wanted to play music forever, and I
suppose I’ve spent the last ten years with Slomatics trying vainly to even get
close to what Floor did so effortlessly on this record. Add to all this, the
fact that the band were almost completely unknown, that every live picture I
could find of them was playing to a half-empty tiny pub, and that they’d never
even been out of the States and I was hooked.
What
a legacy to leave for the then-defunct band. I’ve a friend who has a theory
that in every city there is a band somewhere, whether in a practice room or
playing one of those half-empty tiny pubs, which would absolutely blow your
mind. Floor were that band for me, and although they are now deservedly much
more well known, at the time the very fact that they had existed and had
written that beautiful record was enough inspiration for me to do what I’ve
been doing since, and will never stop doing.
Words &
Recommendation :
David Majury from Slomatics
‘Floor’ was
the debut full length from the band released by No Idea Records in 2002,
although recorded before this record ‘Dove’ was their second official full
length.
‘Floor’
track listing :
1). Scimiter
02:28
2). Return to
Zero 02:20
3). Downed
Star 02:45
4). Iron Girl
02:18
5). Night full
of Knicks 03:32
6). Twink
00:53
7). Sheech
01:02
8). Assassin
01:33
9).
Kallisti-Song For Eris 03:08
10). Ein
(Below and Beyond) 03:24
11). Figured
Out 03:19
12). Tales of
Lolita 02:02
13). Triangle
Song 03:28
Notes
Released
on CD and vinyl.
Released on grey marble vinyl, limited to 550 copies.
2nd pressing on October 31st, 2002 on clear vinyl, limited to 550 copies.
3rd pressing on February 28th, 2005 on dark red vinyl, limited to 550 copies.
4th pressing on February 28th, 2007. 316 copies on grey vinyl, 179 copies on cloudy black vinyl, 9 copies on light grey vinyl, 6 copies on purple vinyl.
Re-released on tape in 2010 by Amnesian Records, limited to 200 copies.
Re-released on 12" vinyl with a bonus 7" vinyl in 2014 by Robotic Empire, limited to 2000 copies.
Bonus 7" vinyl:
1. Bombs to Abbadon (2:20)
2. Xian (The Jingle-Jangle of a Thousand Lost Souls) (1:07)
3. Stalker (5:29)
- 500 copies of the deluxe "Hall of Fame" edition on silver/blue vinyl, comes with a sticker, patch and large interview booklet, 7" black vinyl
- 900 copies on black vinyl with 7" black vinyl
- 300 copies on blue vinyl with 7" blue vinyl
- 300 copies on clear vinyl with 7" clear vinyl
Released on grey marble vinyl, limited to 550 copies.
2nd pressing on October 31st, 2002 on clear vinyl, limited to 550 copies.
3rd pressing on February 28th, 2005 on dark red vinyl, limited to 550 copies.
4th pressing on February 28th, 2007. 316 copies on grey vinyl, 179 copies on cloudy black vinyl, 9 copies on light grey vinyl, 6 copies on purple vinyl.
Re-released on tape in 2010 by Amnesian Records, limited to 200 copies.
Re-released on 12" vinyl with a bonus 7" vinyl in 2014 by Robotic Empire, limited to 2000 copies.
Bonus 7" vinyl:
1. Bombs to Abbadon (2:20)
2. Xian (The Jingle-Jangle of a Thousand Lost Souls) (1:07)
3. Stalker (5:29)
- 500 copies of the deluxe "Hall of Fame" edition on silver/blue vinyl, comes with a sticker, patch and large interview booklet, 7" black vinyl
- 900 copies on black vinyl with 7" black vinyl
- 300 copies on blue vinyl with 7" blue vinyl
- 300 copies on clear vinyl with 7" clear vinyl
Source: Metal
Archives
