Midwich Cuckoos – Death

By RingMaster Review on January 27, 2022 • ( 0 )

With the second part of their second album pending and a new single released just a couple of days ago we thought we should go back to the first part of Death & Glory, to the beginning of something feeling destined to be one addictive incitement from UK punks Midwich Cuckoos.

As hinted, the band’s sophomore album is being unleashed digitally in two parts. Death was unveiled to the rear of last year with its companion being released on the 23^rd Feb of this; it’s full physical uncaging coming April 8^th. With its two parts sandwiching new single, Ballad Of Tanzy Velayne, a song only intensifying the striking impact the band is making right now, Death & Glory is an “experimental concept album with a narrative that follows new vocalist Tanzy Valayne’s journey of atonement to regain entry to heaven”.

It is also proving from the five songs unveiled to date, a dextrous and merciless protagonist fuelled by the band’s crossover sound where punk, hardcore and metal collude in predacious intent and discontent. There is an aspect to their sound which is akin to bands like The Distillers and Brassick but as Death swiftly proves it is individual in its breath and inimitable in its character.

Crosses erupts on the senses first, its rhythmic intro bone rapping baiting which instantly had instincts aroused and ready for the band’s rock ’n’ roll insurgency led by the rapacious tones of Velayne. Featuring David Rodriguez from The Casualties, the track snarls and harasses with galvanic effect while being driven by the rhythmic animosity of bassist Ben Wooster and drummer Dan Rouse. Equally the triumvirate of guitarists in Patch Barbet, Rob Jones and Lesley O’Brien weave a web of incitement, their craft sculpting and genre varied strands of enterprise escalating the metal scorched, punk fuelled prowess of the mighty track.

The following You Used To Be Cool makes a more merciful entrance, again guitars casting a collusion of styles before the song erupts in manipulative uproar with Velayne’s potent vocals steering the trespass. Drama and enterprise soak every twist and turn of the song, that fusion of sounds as corruptively pleasurable as the track’s rhythmic bite and lyrical challenge.

A psychotic appetite immediately rises up in To The Grave, even as its contagious exploits and predatory instincts unite. As all songs, it grows in stature and impressiveness as Midwich Cuckoos share more of their inventive imagination and unapologetic discord in sound and attitude, setting the senses and one’s own irritancy with the world aflame.

The superb Sucker completes the encounter, favourite song honours swiftly gripped as it gallops through ears with ferocity and resentment. Again though, it is cast in the most virulently infectious intrusion, one inviting and receiving physical and emotional collusion in its feral punk ‘n’ roll triumph.

Though Death is only the first instalment of the band’s album, it does not feel too early to suggest it will be one of the year’s finest treats especially when also embracing new single, Ballad Of Tanzy Velayne in our consideration. Though not on the full-length itself, it is a song declaring the prowess of Midwich Cuckoos while casting a melodic metal threaded tapestry coloured in emotive contemplation, keen unpredictability and fascinating imagination; every second bold and adventurous with that inherent punk grow lurking throughout.

That single’s press release suggests that Midwich Cuckoos “are a fine tune 12-legged rock’n’roll, punk and metal machine.” Already Death & Glory suggests they are that and more.

Death & Glory is released digitally in two parts with Death out now and Glory released Feb 23^rd both via Onslaught Music as too the full physical album release on April 8^th while Ballad Of Tanzy Velayne is available @ https://onslaughtmusic.bandcamp.com/track/ballad-of-tanzy-velayne-3