Released a year ago, Flesh Hammer from Danish noise alchemists Fossils has, from fusing the senses and passions on its first touch, continued to reign on our weekly playlist, and more often than not in a daily burst or two. The outstanding release from the instrumental noise rockers as their sound generally, is a primal temptation sculpted by the bass and drums of Simon Tornby and Per Silkjær respectively. In that union though, the band breeds hooks, grooves, and rhythms which are as sinister and predatory as they are contagiously all-consuming. The album was pure addiction in our ears and the band exactly one year later have done it all over again with a new release, this one coming with a thrilling twist.
With their new instrumental exploration scheduled for 2016, Fossils have filled the gap between albums and impressively fed anticipation with new EP The Meating. Where that twist comes in is in the fact that this encounter is awash with tempestuous vocals. At the time of the unleashing of Flesh Hammer, the duo enlisted various singers to interpret tracks vocally from the album at its release show. Originally planned as a one off occurrence, the band subsequently took the performers into the studio to record their additions to the original songs, and now we have the quite scintillating and compelling devilry of The Meating; seven pieces from the last album re-interpreted and ignited again vocally. Renamed and presumably re-mixed or re-tweaked musically, unless the vocals transform tracks even more potently than we thought, the EP is another irresistible and storming onslaught from Fossils.
Opener Deadringer features Jacob Bredahl of The Kandidate and once of HateSphere, and under the torrential bombardment of Silkjær’s addictive beats it instantly has ears and attention submissive. It is of course prime Fossils bait, the snarling lure of the bass and its crunching riffs aligning to voraciously swinging rhythms for immediate manna to the ears. Bredakl is soon roaring with his distinctive tones, challenging and raging with attitude and animosity within the increasingly virulent sounds. Already a pungently confronting encounter, the song is given extra causticity and rancor by the singer, and as all the songs becomes a brand new proposition.
The following Taxon is graced by the blistering industrialised contribution of Ultimate Combat Noise, the track brewed into a corrosively attractive and psyche scorching antagonist whilst next 
up Meat Lover takes on a punk crafted guise thanks to Mads Stobberup of Cola Freaks. He vocally brawls over the spicy infectiousness of the equally agitated sound; the track like his voice is not exactly looking for a fight but given a nudge will lash out with relish. It is not the last track to have an infusion of varying punk revelry and those tracks do emerge as favourites, though everything excites without reserve.
Marie Højlund of Marybell Katastrophy gives Ridge and the Rock a siren-esque seduction next, her ethereal and seductive tones wrapping like a temptress around the wiry lures of the bass and the ravenous energy of the drums. It is a bewitching infestation of senses and lust, an increasingly rabid and psychotic enchantment matched by the punk ferocity of Speedbacon. Seb Doubinsky provides the voice to the Dead Kennedys like take on the original rasher of noise bestiality. The track is ravenous in nature, though nicely contrasted by the vocal porcine fun in a presence barely lasting a minute of length.
The final two tracks steal the show, even if by a slither. Firstly Ham Reader expels an acidic and venomous bluster over its tempest of noise through Mikko Mansikkala Jensen’s bracing throat bred squalls. It is a ferocious and wholly magnetic assault which sets the emotions up perfectly for the final devilment of Ködhabit. The track is blessed by Kim Kix, one half of psyche rock ‘n’ rollers Powersolo, who thanks to Fossils and this release have just swiftly been added to our lustful favourites list. The song as expected launches a torrent of delicious grouchy bass growls and insatiable rhythms but grows further with the deranged tones and delivery of Kix. The song we would suggest is the most startlingly evolved of the bunch from the original templates set by Flesh Hammer, a hellacious rocker which relentlessly flirts with the passions in a way which only an image of Gene Vincent being twisted inside out by and thrust on stage by Cleve Barker’s Cenobites, who then provide the backing sounds fits. We said that every track is a massive and equally thrill, and they are, but the final song of The Meating is another type of creature and looks down on all with majestic lunacy.
The Meating is and feels like a brand new offering from Fossils as we await their next instrumental escapade. Flesh Hammer graced many a best of list in 2014, and we can find no reason why this new offering will not be doing the same come December.
The Meating is available from March 2nd via Indisciplinarian.
FOSSILS will be performing at the three Danish Indisciplinarian Label Nights in late March with label mates Piss Vortex and Anti Ritual at…
26/3 – Stengade, Copenhagen (DK)
27/3 – Radar, Aarhus (DK)
28/3 – 1000fryd, Aalborg (DK)
http://www.meatrush.com/ https://www.facebook.com/fossilsmusic
RingMaster 03/03/2015
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gravelly delivery somewhere in the ball park of Phil Anselmo. The song itself can be best described as a mix of System Of A Down, Bloodsimple and indeed Pantera, yet there is plenty more hinting and teasing within the provocation, and showing stronger glimpses as the release proceeds.
vocal squalls of frontman Danny Garry and bassist Evan Foley also have a potent angst and attitude to them but it is the clean delivery of Garry that really impresses and steals the attention. It is fair to say that post hardcore bands have been predominantly impressing and grabbing our plaudits through the melodic side of their attack vocally, maybe too much of the same caustic shouting talking its toll on our patience and simply feeding expectations, and there is no doubting the might of that area in Not Tonight Josephine matched by the creative enterprise evolving round them. The use of strings and production twists only add to the drama and increasing success of the song, unpredictability an open weapon in the great start.
year the Joey Sturgis (Asking Alexandria, Emmure, Of Mice & Men, We Can As Romans) produced Chosen. Now with that impending EP on a close horizon, the band has set another spark burning in ears and appetite through Almost Human, a song showing even greater persuasion and adventure than that which fuelled its predecessors.
more punkish offering of Freeston is a potent backing and the raw roars of Cator nicely caustic. An additional anthemic strength emerges in the song and though musically maybe it does not blaze with startling originality there is nothing but freshness and adventure to the opener.
a small way it is nice to just imagine that that band and song might have been a distant spice to this new slice of tantalising joy. The Undercover Hippy instantly has ears hooked as thick resonating bass lures meet up with spicy swipes of guitar and joyful rhythms, providing a swinging soundtrack to the just as quickly coming and pleasing tones of Rowan. The compelling verse saunters along, kissing the imagination with every flick of a beat and caress of guitar under a sultry breath of keys, before opening up into an infected loaded chorus. Brass and harmonica add to the elevated dance of the song, their colours irresistible alongside the flaming tones of Langton behind the lead of Rowan.