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THE FEEDING RTE / DRT  Think of American Head Charge’s first album, The War of Art as a big ole' steak. A big ole' steak with huge chunks of sizzling fat, tough-as-nails gristle and a hard-as-rock bone running right down the middle of it. Now trim the fat, get that gristle out of there and slice the meat from the bone. You now have a plateful of AHC's new album, The Feeding. No glitz, no glamour, no fancy fireworks and no little tricks trying to keep you interested in what's going on; just lean, mean, kickass beef. Your first listen throws you. You were expecting to hear more of the same AHC. But this? This feels like it could be a completely different band and you're really not sure what to make of it. It's a feeling that fades quickly. First track "Loyalty" is just a crushing song that sets a tone of raw power and energy that doesn't stop until the album ends 42 minutes later. Singer Martin Cock has an amazing voice and it’s good to finally hear it in all its glory. His vocals drip a kind of “Take that!” attitude as if he’s trying to prove something to someone (and if he is, he does). The rest of the band follows suit, complimenting Cock's every word while adding a power and, pardon the pun, cockiness of their own to each track. Tracks like “Ridicule”, “Walk Away” and “To Be Me” stand out above everything else on the album for me; just extraordinary songwriting and musicianship. These tunes also show a band without fear of being pigeon holed as "heavy" while on “Pledge Allegiance”, “Dirty” and “Cowards”, AHC lets you know that they’re a band that can tear the flesh from your body in roughly three minutes if they wanted. On The Feeding, American Head Charge is a band that's grown beyond their own definition while never leaving behind who they are. So sit down to dinner. Forget the salt and pepper, skip the A-1 and just dig your teeth into some beef and chew for as long as you can take it. review by anthony sciscioli |
