Lurking in my collection somewhere is an album by a band called Union Carbide Productions, I picked it up in the sale at the wonderful - and now long-gone - Depth Charge Records in York during my first term at university. The place specialised in US imports and had the most staggering array of US-only coloured vinyl. This was before the Internet took off, and these things were just impossible to find here. The album by Union carbide productions is called 'Swing' and I bought it because a) it was £2.50 b) it was recorded by Steve Albini. It's pretty good, but having said that, I've only played it a handful of times.
Anyway, the various members of Skull Defekts have played in heaps of bands, one being Union Carbide Productions. While drawing from a much broader range of influences - according to the press release, 'The Skull Defekts have taken their base of classic rock with massive guitar riffing, and infused it with their interest in circular composition, drone, tribal music, Indian ragas, '60s minimalism, and experimental music from numerous ages' - 'Peer Amid' is at heart a big, dirty guitar album. It's their third, and this time they're joined by Lungfish vocalist Daniel Higgs.
The title track is also the opener, and fundamentally stretches a relentless, repetitive riff for over nine minutes, building a tripwire tension with a jagged bass and insistent, overdriven guitar that occasionally explodes into a cathartic speaker-busting mosh-out. 'No More Always' follows a similar template, albeit with a more prominent vocal and quirky, left-of-centre delivery and east of west guitar motif.
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'Gospel of the Skull' betrays a degree of indebtedness to Shellac, albeit crossed with The Cramps, before 'The Silver River' mystically drones its way into the epic 'In Majestic Drag'. Swirling epics remain the order of the day with the sprawling 'Fragrant Nimbus' and 'What Knives What Birds'. Whatever else is in the mixer, it's the gritty guitars that really push the songs along. A relentless rhythm, punishing guitar riff and the occasional shard of feedback conjures a maelstrom in the closer, 'Join the True'.
Drawn out, meandering yet equally punchy and gritty in delivery, 'Peer Amid' exists on the more wayward peripheries of alternative US rock. It's well worth venturing out there.
Skull Defekts on MySpace
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