Canis - A Good Solid Flesh Crime (1997)

Formed in Kingsland, Auckland during a police raid, Canis are a hybrid of 80s, swamp blues, various distortion noises and general sludgy sounds. They practised in a converted bank space (it kinda sounds like this album may have been recorded in it) and brought forth a sound that is akin to Nick Cave in his most under-produced and sludgy, with a touch of industrial metal thrown into the mix. Having listened to Cop Shoot Cop a couple of weeks ago, I would have to say they have a similar vibe.

The cover is quite macabre, depicting a slab of meat strapped to a cross with barbed wire. There are some pretty purple flowers as well, though. On the back cover, a crucified bird hangs.

The album opens with the slow "Womb of the World" with spoken vocals and heavy, slow, ponderous bass line. Achingly borderline industrial, surging hollow drum beats, raw and raucous. Swampy and sludgy. Like metal rusting, dripping with corrossion.

Faster drums, very bassy. The "Seventeenth Century Heaven Death-Head" has low vocals reminscient of early Nick Cave.

"Oh can you slow dance, baby, hung from that tree?"

A hollow drumroll and screeching, stretching guiars ushers us into "Blackslider" with its achingly low and slow vocals, barely mixed above the music.Sighing and growning into guttural harmonies. Ominous, eerie.

Faster but gently ominous, it is time to meet "Jack Hammer Red" - a simple piece that builds from the soft and gentle, louder, louder, aggression, like a jack hammer.

A bit of a slow start to "Arcane World". Low, threatening, like a predator peeking over the bushes, waiting its chance to strike. Then it does, vocals are low, with a good pace to them.

"All Hail (the raving soul)" starts with iron hands clapping, and a rolling barrel kinda rhythm.  Definite Birthday Party feel here. I can almost imagine a metal drum, in which flames and smoke dance forth, swirling through the air, whilst around it dance semi-clad, blood stained hunters, calling upon some sort of arcane deity.

Distortion and more trebly-laced bass, whining metal, the beating of hollow skins. "Cold Hard Sell" is fury entwined with despair.

Low, sludgy, swampy rock - "Kindred" is bleak and  nihilistic. Rolling drums, churning guitars wading through the gloom:

"Children beg your father not to have another son like this one..."

The tempo picks up a notch into the downtrodden lounge feel of "Black Water Janitor". I can actually see the vocalist in his suit and tie, sunglasses, singing in a nightclub - but the sort of nightclub that caters to the downtrodden, the broken, the lost and the forgotten.

This next track, "Daddy God" is apparently reorded on a shitty stereo at Basque Rd. It certainly has an unhealthy level of sludge and distortion. The vocals are quite strong, very angry; spoken more than sung. The backing music distorting and twisting like some sort of out of control machinery.

Hauntingly area, crawling feedback, drums chipping in. Guitars drawl along. Vocals low, snarling their way through "Blood River". Whining instruments, slightly discordent. Creepy, unsettling lyrics.

"Red river, red river run red..."

This song is sharp and subtle as a razor blade.

It has taken several repeated listens, but this album is starting to grow on me. The sludgy NZ under-produced sound has been eliminated from modern music, but here it is king. The low churning swampy sludge lends a grit and authenticity. It could well be recorded in a disused bank vault - but a portion of it is in fact recorded live in studios (which I think means the whole band perform together, instead of individually and it being mixed?). Like CSC, this is industrial sludge, sort of a modern-day steampunk* filled with dark vibes, low (but surprisingly powerful and well mixed) vocals and overall, a decent album. It makes me curious to try out their other album, which apparently has jazz influences. Might be a little more upbeat!

I'm going to rate it 6.5/10.

* that is probably an oxymoron.

Cop Shoot Cop - Ask Questions Later (1993)

Hailing from New York City, Cop Shoot Cop formed in 1987 and parted ways in 1996. They never achieved commercial success, but did make a few videos and receive at least a little MTV airplay - which was how I discovered them - hearing the awesome "Room 429" on MTV. It was one of those songs that haunted me, I recorded it when it was on, and played it over and over. From then on I would keep an eye out for CSC cds in record stores, without success. Until, finally, I discovered this one in the sale bins in Real Groovy. Sadly, most of the other tracks proved to be a disappointment on first listen - so I listened to it once then filed it away into my collection, to be pulled out and reviewed today.

Unlike most of the bands I listen to, CSC are not guitar heavy. They do not even have a lead guitarist and use a mix of sludgy, grungy sounding instruments, sampling, drums and bass.

It is a cardboard digipack, which means that the labels applied by RG have damaged the cover, tearing off the top layer. It was probably only $5 anyway. Inside it does have a plastic case and the booklet is slotted into the side in the manner that is difficult to remove. The cover features a boy with a gun (I think) printed in red, over what looks like printed duct tape. This duct tape print continues on the inside of the cover and also over the cd booklet which contains the lyrics.

The album opens with the uninspiring "Surprise, Surprise". Industrial noise. Heavy bass. Slow, driving like a sledgehammer. Vocals bold and a little echoey. Shouted, not sung. Aggressive, raw and pretty blah.

This is followed by "Room 429" which is ominous and, although still having the echo qualities, Tod A can in fact sing. He has a low, raw voice which sounds like he's being gargling firewater and chewing sandpaper. I suppose the term gravely would apply, although he manages an almost melodic stretch.

"Nowhere" has a sludgy garage sound. Heavy, clangy drums. Industrial noise. Vocals rising and falling. Low and deep. Like heavy barrels being rolled around a junkyard. Raw and raucous.

The short instrumental "Migration" featured in a Nike advertisement. It has an interesting almost "Ride of the Valkyries" feel, except played through distorted machinery.

With an odd vibrating sound, "Cut to the Chase" contains a mix of classical structures, most of which are played using distortion and bass (low and high) with the addition of violins. It is haunting, looming. The violin is being played in quick little flickering motions, rapid and fluttering like the wings of moths.

Whistling and banging shepherd us in to "$10 Bill". It has a steady tempo, like stomping boots of a marching army, shouted vocals with the hint of a tune. There's trumpets too.

"Seattle" has a grungy, distorted feel to it. All samples and noise gates.  I know what Gates are now thanks to Lions Share.

That steady beating-barrels beat ushers us into the "Furnace". Vocals high, echoe-y and distorted.  I swear someone is shaking a sawblade. Maybe that's what "metal" means under the instrument list.

There's a whiny, exotic quality to "Israeli Dig". Also an instrumental.

Rockier rhythms for "Cause and Effect". More low and high end bass. This is a very bassy album, a sharp contrast to the trebly Polish Thrash bands I was listening to this morning.

Ha-urm, ha-urm. Vocals dominate "Got No Soul" along with an industrial clunking. Kinda reminds me of Nick Cave, accompanied by a machine and strange vibrating, shrill insects. Also maracas, trombones, sax and trumpet.

"Late for work again today. Somebody's lying down on the job again. Will you people please stop jumping under my train?"

Oh my goodness, Tod A can actually sing! "Everybody Loves you (when you're dead)" has an upbeat tempo, despite the negativity of the lyrics. There's even piano in this one, admittedly mostly down the low end. And a lot of random clanging noises. Bit of shouting.

"All the Clocks are Broken" has an industrial goth feel to it. Everything is toned down very low, very bassy. Eerie background noises. Shrill. Ominous. Vocals droning but powerful. Like a voice of nature.

"A broken smile never lies. A busted mirror cannot see you cry."

This album has really grown on me. The arrangements seem to be pretty good and the use of mechanical noise, noise gates and distortion gives it a gritty edge. I'd almost say steampunk, but it's a bit too modern and gritty for that. Initially (when I started listening to it) I was going to give it 5/10. then 6/10 and finally I'm going to settle on 7/10. Repeated listenings work for this one!