Instrumental Interpretations Part II: Serious Beak – 'Ankaa'

By: Phil Weller

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 03/11/2015

Label: Art As Catharsis

Self-described as playing “an amalgamation of psychedelic, progressive and poly-rhythmic discordant music,” this is all about creating atmospheres that, be they lucid and dreamy or viscous and tormented, has seen them create a cinematic work of art.

Ankaa CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Proto (Menura novaehollandiae) (03:29)
2. Main Sequence (Dacelo novaeguineae) (13:00)
3. Red (Laniocera hypopyrra)(10:13)
4. Heat Death (Teratornithidae) (07:27)

The Review:

When your band lacks a singer, often times they lack an extra dynamic that you’re so used to being there; and because we are so used to having a voice at the forefront of music that, in one’s absence there can be something of gaping chasm. For Scale The Summit, ‘V’s’ technicality is impressive but it struggles to engage you – the lack of a vocalist taking away from its lure. It’s all fur coat and no knickers. But Sydney’s Serious Beak would be ruined by the presence of a singer. Just listen to the snaking groove of ‘Red’ as they flit betwixt time signatures like a ghost through walls and tell me you couldn’t get down to this. It’s a cocktail of flavours that reference the likes of Mastodon, Animals as Leaders and a battlefield. 

Self-described as playing “an amalgamation of psychedelic, progressive and poly-rhythmic discordant music,” this is all about creating atmospheres that, be they lucid and dreamy or viscous and tormented, has seen them create a cinematic work of art.

Opener ‘Proto (Menura novaehollandiae)’ provides the latter, the offbeat stabbings of syncopated guitars raising the curtain with a bombardment of heaviness. ‘Main Sequence (Dacelo novaeguineae)’ though, which follows, is quieter, more brooding at first and would sound perfect as a film score for some grayscale, tear stained scene, with hints of the epicedium coldness of Alice In Chains. That is until the sharp Mastodon inspired broken chords wade to the forefront of the mix, an air of Baroness in there too, building to a crescendo of a low down guttural groove. It’s powerful. It takes you somewhere other than your living room or that bus that stinks of piss on your morning commute to the daily grind. This is escapism and it’s bloody brilliant.

Each and every song takes unexpected ventures, just as you start to think you’ve grasped the plot there’s a sting in the tail and they invert your expectation with a wry smile. Serious Beak don’t need a singer, they just need your attention. They deserve it. If you like your music having a fine blend of intricacy and balls out bombast, then this is one hurricane of a record you’ll want to be swept up in.

‘Ankaa’ is available here

Band info: facebook | bandcamp