Labels: Assorted Porkchops
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Ex-members of’ strikes again! Zuexeus = ex-members of Cornelius. Fingers crossed that means anything to you. They have the same fella (Chris Murray) on vocals, so that’s a good start before you even put the cd in the player”¦
Things do take a little while to get going, the first minute or so is the sample of a kid talking on a walky talky, pretending to be a trucker, and around the minute mark the guitars finally kick, a grating riff sears out of your speakers as the bass chugs excitedly back and forth, things start speeding up and you’re immediately listening to one of the best introductions you’ll hear on a punk rock record. Whip out the air guitar and leap around the room. Think Assfactor 4 at their most melodic and rampant best but refined into 4 minute long songs. All this song is waiting for is the distinctive frantic screamy-shouts of Murray, and the yelp he breaks in with signals that he’s back and as powerful as ever. He’s totally on top form as “Red Quaint Sunrise” rages it’s way to the finish. I can’t believe they can play as fast and melodically as they do without slicing their fingers to pieces on their guitar strings.
Zuexeus are taking the sound that Cornelius had and blasting it firmly in one direction. Everything they touch here turns to gold, if I was allowed to order a band to play fast melodic hardcore, then this is how they would sound. The out of control chaotic speed and blitzkrieg drumming of Assfactor, fused with the blistering melody and frenzied RAWK (almost metal) of Cornelius. Murray’s the right man for the job of “singing’ too, sounding suitably off his trolley. Other times they remind of Jehu, and Embassy.
Really, parts of this record are just mind-blowingly great. The raw intro and riffage across the hurtling “March Against October” are some of the best I have ever heard in my life. Practically perfect, I can’t listen to these without a great big smile on my face, it’s a rock and a half. And when it’s followed by the mesmerising “Summertide”, when it breaks down into some out of breathe vocals before carrying on into the all out rock ending that knocks me sideways.
I ran out of superlatives and stuff. This is simply the best record out this year by a band you’ve almost definitely never heard of. Fucking get this, especially if the idea of a poppier (and I use that word in an extreme sense) Assfactor 4 appeals to you, or if you ever heard Cornelius and liked them.