Saturday 11 April 2015

The Atomic Bitchwax - 'Gravitron' (Album Review)


Album Type: Full-Length
Date Released: 21/4/2015
Label: Tee Pee Records

‘Gravitron’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

01). Sexicutioner
02). No Way Man
03). It’s Alright
04). War Claw
05). Coming in Hot
06). Fuckface
07). Proto World
08). Down With the Swirl
09). Roseland
10). Ice Age “Hey Baby”

The Atomic Bitchwax is:

Chris Koznik | Vocals, bass
Bob Pantella | Drums
Finn Ryan | Guitar

Review:

The last two albums from The Atomic Bitchwax came in like curveballs that barely missed the strike zone. They were good enough to keep me interested, but they weren’t the heaters I was looking for.  Honestly, they missed the band's signature elements of snappy drums, punchy production, wild guitar solos, and all that other good stuff that made each of their releases tasty since their inception in 1999. But with "Gravitron," I'm glad to report that TAB is back with a new album and its bad ass.

With song titles like ‘Sexecutioner’ and ‘Fuck Face’, TAB get immediate points for not only how their names roll off the tongue but also how they represent the band’s rock n’ roll intensity. Everyone is in go-mode from the second the opening track kicks down the front door all the way through to the – gasp – poppy closer, ‘Ice Age ‘Hey Baby’.

‘No Way Man’ has that Nebula feeling to it, thanks to the I-don’t-need-an-excuse-to-play-a-guitar-solo attitude that shines through, but TAB really know how to nail it down and make it their own by means of a precise vocal delivery. In fact, as far as vocals are concerned, this is the best TAB has ever been. The lyrics are clever and peppered with some of our favorite four letter words, a combination that sets the stage perfectly for a sing-along. Musically, they’re on fire, too.  Their first few albums had songs that sometimes felt incomplete, whereas ‘IV’ was too polished and traded in intensity for catchy hooks. On ‘Gravitron,’ however, the band has taken great strides in delivering an album that merges high energy and A-1 melodies. The result is the well-rounded album that TAB was bound to one day make. 

With ‘Gravitron’ the band has done a great job at solidifying their sound. Though familiar, it’s still fresh and hopefully the beginning of a long chapter for TAB. ‘Gravitron’ is an album on which you can hear the band having a good time and playing from the heart. There’s not a note out of place and even the instrumental cuts are worth their time. Here’s to a job well done for TAB. I’ll see you guys in Berlin. 

Words by: Victor Van Ommen 

‘Gravitron’ is available here

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