It is four years since we were introduced to Greek outfit SPInnERS through their third album, Ghost. It was a striking and rousing invitation to the Athens hailing trio’s clamorous fusion of post hardcore, punk, noise and indie rock, and reason enough to suggest the band were poised to stir the same attention and recognition that they already had at home further afield. It is probably fair to say that those expectations have not been realised yet but that relative anonymity is sure to be tested again with the release of new full-length, Operation: Breakout.
Between those albums, the 5 Songs EP of 2018 hinted at a new breath of flavoursome adventure to the band’s sound, a richer touch of imagination now flourishing within eleven-track loaded Operation: Breakout and fair to say that the album swiftly had ears hooked with opener We Are Entering A New World Of Artificial Optimism And Massive Screens. The track is a slice of dark instrumental suggestion upon a robust surge of rhythmic enticement setting down the first potent trait to be found within the album, a melodic and imaginative drama which needed no words alongside to provide plenty to conjure with.
Of course the band’s lyrical side does nothing to defuse that potency as the following Revenge Of The Tribesmen proves, the song leading ears in with a tease of guitar before the thumping rhythmic prowess of drummer Chris joins the resonating drawl of Johnny’s bass. As the track twists and turns with hooks and riffs, guitarist Panos weaving a compelling web, his and the band’s aligning vocals roar to further accentuate the song’s magnetic holler.
Bleak is next up, exploding on the senses with cacophonous hunger before settling down a touch though that volatility is surface wore. Whereas the previous album bore the bands post punk instincts quite openly, Operation: Breakout relishes their punk instincts and the third track epitomises that intent though equally it just as openly shares the dexterous variety within the band’s music. Never breaking its raucous stride, the song makes way for the delicious clang of I’ll Be Waiting which just to contradict the previous statement emerges on a delicious post punk lure before exposing its contagion loaded rock ‘n’ roll. Moments spring thoughts of The Membranes and others times fellow Greeks, Three Way Plane are hinted at but essences in something unapologetically individual to SPInnERS.
As Endless Dive brings its alternative rock spiced yell to the band’s indie meets noise punk howl, the threesome unveil more of their magnetic writing and cross genre garage rock bearing imagination, the just as infectious No Exception a creative echo of that invention as it strolls with rhythmic seduction and bursts with equal zeal upon eager ears and appetite. There is something familiar to the track, though we suspect it is simply reflections of the band’s previous triumphs even if Serbian outfit Noyz? is provoked in thoughts occasionally, but that just an ingredient its contagious and wonderfully unpredictable punk ‘n’ roll.
A contender for best album moment, the song is quickly rivalled by Wash You Away with its scythes of post punk guitar within a more punk pop nurtured canter. Even so both songs are eclipsed by the following pair of the album’s title track and its successor Johann Trollmann’s Infinite Punch. The first of the two ambles in on almost ear taunting grooves amidst sonic atmospherics as Chris and Johnny cast their rhythmic incitement, the tones and guitar intimation of Panos keenly as manipulative on quickly hungry ears and imagination before the second of the two simply had us drooling. Just as Buzzcocks shaped their early albums with some truly suggestive and addictive instrumentals, so SPInnERS bless their new release. With the sax of Manolis Kisamitakis a wicked addition, the piece weaves an intimation of intrigue and shadows, danger and compulsion colouring every addictive note and haunting suggestion on offer.
With the acoustic embrace and melancholy of Who Cares? completing Operation: Breakout we can only declare the album the band’s finest moment yet and though it is ridiculously still easy to get lost and overlooked in the vast opportunities modern technology gives artists there is even more that feeling and anticipation that SPInnERS are ready to erupt upon the biggest landscapes of attention given the chance.
Operation: Breakout is available now @ https://spinnersathens.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/spinnersathens/
Pete RingMaster 25/01/2020
Copyright RingMasterReview: MyFreeCopyright
The track is superb, the perfect introduction and quickly backed up by the stoner/blues sultriness of Soul. Like Stone Temple Pilots engaged in psych rock flavoured escapades, the song croons and prowls the senses; the grooves of Graham especially flavoursome before it all makes way for the lighter infectious stroll of Criminal. Again grooves and hooks create a web easy to get caught up in, the heavier rhythmic enterprise an additional cage keeping ears and enjoyment in close attendance.
The outstanding start leads to the just as gripping and enthralling Feral King where almost toxic grooves bind the passions as chimes deal a portentous air around them. If the bass of Reza G was predatory within the first, it is almost gloriously primal in the second song while the rapier swings of drummer Jon Wingrove leave a lingering mark and persuasion to match the again immense vocal presence of Trim. The track’s dark story winds around the listener as masterfully as the sounds colouring it; King Goat showing them as alluring lyrically as they are in conjuring adventurous doom spawned incitements.
and welcoming ambience soon lit by a wonderful caress of guitar, its classical melodic touch soothing and inviting. All the while shadows are converging adding their menace to the rising vocal harmonies and warm melodies. They eventually break through with roaring caustic growls and stabbing riffs though they still court the elegance which voiced the start. It is a respectfully dramatic piece bringing clouds and uncertainty into view ready for The Misdirection of God to erupt with seemingly insidious intent. Immediately the vocals impress; the diverse ever shifting style and delivery from Gary King, very ably backed by that of bassist Ryan Banks, magnetic within the equally revolving and evolving tempest around them. The rhythms of drummer Connor Jobes rampage with crippling sinews and ferocious agitation from their every beat whilst the guitars of Simon Atkinson, Rownan Tennet, and Mallaby cast a simultaneously vitriolic and enticing web of sound around ears and thoughts. As mentioned previously there is so much accosting and intriguing senses that you cannot at first take it all in over one song let alone the album, but as traverses of and time exploring the song unveils irresistible bait like the classically honed keys with at times stand to the fore and in others flirt from a hollowed distance, the adventure just gets stronger and more spellbinding.
the atmosphere casting keys. Immediately ears and imagination are led into a shadow clad mausoleum of blackened intent and demonic provocation, an evocative and expressive caress darkening the soul. Into its steady gait the track expands with strong vocals, singular and as a dual persuasion, and a sonically hued guitar enterprise ripe with acidic colour, all adding greater adventurous intrigue to the narrative. It is a magnetic start, an infectious lure setting up album and appetite impressively.
