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
Featuring American rapper Mr J. Medeiros (The Procussions, Alltta, The Knives), the album’s title track is next up. It steps from an industrial lined electronic welcome into a prowling slice of Senser-esque rap rock where every second brings stringent observation amidst a consuming galvanic stride of sound. Though unleashed with a certain hand of control it is a ravenous encounter, electronic and punk ‘n’ roll dexterity amassing on a dance-floor bred rapacity.
Venom ensures it continues as its swinging gait and savagery is immediately infectious, guitar and bass driving a boisterously truculent and catchy attack with the latter laying down a wicked groove as again vocals collude in a magnetic squall. Three minutes of noisy punk manipulation leads to two minutes of noise twisting ferity as Dance In The Fire springs its own cauldron of vocal and sonic dispute around manipulative hooks and grooves which invade and incite body and instinctive pleasure. The track is pure rock ‘n’ roll at its most wild yet deviously sculpted.
It is an outstanding introduction to Drøm yet quickly and continually eclipsed or certainly matched across the release with next up Dø Igen raising the ante in craft and temptation. Richter’s beats again make for an animated and compelling coaxing and more than equalled in enticement by the visceral growl of Johnsen’s bass. If the first song teased with a whiff of post punk amidst darker sonic deeds, the second track exploits their tenebrific coercion to ravish and inflame the senses. From within its voracious noise clad insurgency, essences of bands like Faith No More, Sex Gang Children, and The Three Johns tease which only adds to its inescapable seduction of ears.
With barely a breath drawn, Future Duke burst upon the senses next, its barbarous trespass as infectious as it is fearsome as it descends on beleaguered senses. As with the first track, there is a noise punk ferocity and predation to the assault which instantly grabbed approval and only enhanced its grip as melodic and progressive hues blossomed within the, at times, carnal maelstrom of sound and innovation. Glorious and devastating, the outstanding track is only echoed in temptation and striking prowess by Presto Change-O, its challenge immediate, visceral and inescapably stirring as the guitar feverishly burrowed under skin already battered and bruised by contorted rhythms. From that sonic insurgence a delicious melodic teasing adds its own bait, a riveting concoction which only intensifies as the track bares its unmethodical but skilfully woven drama. Even clutch of seconds brings fresh enterprise and incitement, keys and vocal variety adding to the genius outpouring.