- Release Info -------------------------------------------------------------- -
Artist: Robotic Lunch
Album: Zangief
Label: 930 Productions
Playtime: 37:02 min
Genre: Rock
URL: http://www.myspace.com/roboticlunch
Rip date: 2011-03-31
Street date: 2011-01-01
Size: 59.16 MB
Type: Normal
Quality: 210 kbps / 4410kHz / Joint Stereo
- Release Notes ------------------------------------------------------------- -
Zangief, the debut full length album from Canadian trio Robotic Lunch, shares
many qualities with the video game character of the same name. ItÆs a
brawler of a record, gripping and muscular, and once youÆve figured it out,
thereÆs little challenge for the user. Zangief also exhibits a litheness
that canÆt be masked by its outward brawn. Lee Aldridge (vocals/guitar),
Chris Fleming (bass/vocals), and Bob Little (drums) display the ability to
integrate the melodrama and gravity of hard rock with the melodic earworms of
grunge, prog and pop styles. The result, intentional or not, is a love
letter to the many influences that can be heard throughout. During the
process of listening to Zangief, youÆll constantly be reminded of other
bands, but youÆll never outright confuse Robotic Lunch with TOOL, The Pixies,
Nirvana, or Soundgarden. ThereÆs an unrelenting element of musicality that,
along with AldrigeÆs adaptable voice, gives the band its own distinct feel.
Even so, the record wears out its welcome fairly quickly, as the sound is
incredibly common over the last two decades.
ThereÆs no trace of punk, a term that gets tossed about far too lightly
nowadays and which Robotic Lunch tosses right out of the window. The band is
quite obviously comprised of 90Æs rock devotees, and after hearing this album
itÆs clear that they are in their element. You can hear Layne StaleyÆs
gangrenous elegance in AldrigeÆs vocal mannerisms, and Alice in ChainsÆ
familiar penetrating drone is clearly a big influence on the band. Robotic
Lunch definitely stands on the more churning side of the genre, drawing
deeper from the glowering, bruising guitar and drum symphonies of Nirvana and
Soundgarden than the jittery, less brutal style of Pearl Jam. Opener
ôVolatileö charges out of the speakers like a snarling animal fueled by
stoner rock and sweat. Based around an indulgent riff that is perfect for
pounding the steering wheel, the song sets a heavy tone with icy pseudo
prog-rock passages and visceral, earth-shaking instrumentation. ThereÆs a
bit of Fu ManchuÆs west coast road rock flavor in the motorized growl of
ôVolatile,ö and the overall sound of the band is frequently reminiscent of
the aforementioned SeattleÆs finest. ôCirclesö is more dynamic and
foreboding than the straightforward opener. LittleÆs drums are remarkable
throughout the album and his diversity is unfurled for all to hear on the
first two tracks. A statement is made via the juxtaposition and frontloading
of ôCirclesö and ôVolatile,ö and itÆs not just about LittleÆs drumming.
Within a span of ten minutes, Robotic Lunch shows off their horsepower and
their handling. ôVolatileö is dangerous and unrelenting, and ôCirclesö is
relatively playful and full of ideas. Ornate stairwells of notes ascend
through synapse-firing cerebellum rock a la TOOL, tambourines break the
monotony, and strange synthesized sounds provide grip in the songÆs final
curve. As a garnish, the listener is treated to a gibberish version of the
songÆs main riff, which entirely and satisfyingly breaks the mood.
For all the rampaging distortion and tooth gnashing on Zangief, the band
manages not to take themselves too seriously. AldrigeÆs lyrics are
frequently puzzling in a pleasant way, as on ôRichard Ball,ö where he
proclaims ôthings are real quiet when youÆre buried and dead.ö ôSeen Enoughö
is as tuneful a hard rock radio song as you could want, and Aldridge shows
surprising range while Fleming beams bulbous bass lines directly into the
center of the eardrum. ThereÆs even a heart-wrenching climax to this most
populist of Robotic Lunch songs. The album breezes by with only one complete
misstep, the unpleasantly pounding ôNothing There,ö a song so full of lyrical
clichΘs one wonders if the songÆs title isnÆt the fulcrum of a joke at the
listenerÆs expense. None of the lyrics on Zangief are going to wind up
etched into your mind anyway, but ôNothing Thereö is a most notable gaffe.
Finally, after a tight 30 minutes of concise, enjoyably mindless hard rock,
the band practically dares the listener to check out the 9-minute
album-closing journey ôFossils.ö Epics are not made by length alone and
ôFossilsö sounds much like the rest of the album: loud and strong, but
groundbreaking in volume only.
- Track List ---------------------------------------------------------------- -
01. Circles ( 0:34)
02. Seen Enough ( 5:20)
03. Onandon ( 4:39)
04. That's What They Say ( 5:16)
05. Nothing There ( 3:36)
06. 0101001001001100 ( 3:54)
07. Richard Ball ( 2:54)
08. Volatile ( 1:50)
09. Fossils ( 8:59)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -