First things first... Cybernetic Witch Cult's "Troglodithic Trip" is not exactly a brand new album,containing as it does songs previously released on the bands iconic demo "Morelock Rock" plus two brand new recordings. The band have re-worked re-imagined and re-recorded four of "Morlock Rock's" strongest cuts and in doing so have re-invigorated them both sonically and dynamically for a new audience.
"Troglodithic Trip" kicks off with the first of it's two new songs "Sagittarius A*" a scorching missive rolled out on a wave of fuzz and wah drenched bass and guitar riffage driven hard by "new boy" Lewis May's furious percussion. Alex Wylde (guitar/vocals) pours over these thrumming tomes of spacey heaviness throaty clean vocals telling tales of space travel and cosmic exploration, his slightly sneered tones a perfect fit to the cosmic ferocity of the songs addictive groove. If your not already familiar with what Cybernetic Witch Cult do then this song is the perfect introduction to their space tinted rock'n'roll or as the band so eloquently state in the songs lyrics "Sagittarius A* will make you feel alright".
Second song "Astrogalactic Sprites" in it's previous incarnation came across a little confused and unfocused, it was still a great song but suffered from not being sure if it was Guns'n'Roses or Hawkwind, here though it stands polished and gleaming it's previously mellow vocal harmonies swapped for a grittier, more stoner orientated vocal attack, it's muddied chugging groove now a swathe of crunching chainsaw fuzz underpinned by Kale Dean's (now) throbbing bass lines and May's sharp(er) percussion.
"Cult of the Druid" is the second of the two new songs and begins with Dean laying out a grizzly heavily distorted bass motif that is then joined by Wylde's warmly fuzzed guitar and May's drums.
After a little bass/riff interplay the trio move into a stuttering heavy stoner groove coated in gritty, gruff vocal tones and enhanced with touches of wah pedal colouring before taking things to a close with Wylde's guitar screaming over a backdrop of deep thrumming bass and stunningly executed and almost robotic percussion.
"Forbidden Fruit", "Human" and " Tyrannosaurus Hex" follow, all refugees from the bands 2015 demo, washed up on the shores of "Troglodithic Trip" to find themselves fuller sounding, fuller focused with a heavier aggressive feel and a darker grittier edge both vocally and musically. All three benefit from the albums crisper production but it's not just the production that has re-invigorated these "older" tunes there is a tightness but also a swing to these grooves that can only come from constant practice and the honing of chops in a live environment, three musicians coming together as a working unit rather than individually skilled technicians occupying the same space.
If you come to "Troglodithic Trip" having already fallen in love with "Morlock Rock" and thinking "why should I invest my time and money in an album that I already own most of and with only two new songs"? Well the answer is in your own ears, compare those demo recordings with those here and you will find the only reason to go back and listen to "Morlock Rock" is for those songs that did not get a makeover. However if you are new to the band "Troglodithic Trip" will have you wondering why you arrived so late to the party
Check it out ....
© 2017 Frazer Jones
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