The Filaments « The RingMaster Review

Music will never cease providing unexpected and major treats, moments of if not genius, true ear and appetite inflaming arousals to feed individual desire. Another for us is the debut 7” EP from Pi$$er, a ‘supergroup’ if you wish which devour and chew up the senses whilst inflaming the imagination across four slices of, which for simplicity we will call, hardcore punk.

The Wretched Life EP is a punk bred encounter but woven from a host of essences for rousing diversity. Its creator is the brainchild of vocalist James Domestic (The Domestics / Dis-Tank / Bring The Drones) who has drawn on the matching talent of drummer Charlie Claesson (Anti-Cimex / Wolfhour / The Partisans / Bring The Drones), bassist/organist Rhodes (The Domestics / Hobopope & The Goldfish Cathedral), guitarists Bri Talbot (Doom) and Matt Woods (Dissidents/ex-Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man), and saxophonist Eddie O’Toole (The Shitty Limits / The Filaments / Beat The Red Light / Personnel) to thrust Pi$$er upon a quickly, we suspect, welcoming world.

Wretched Life opens with The Lie is as Good as the Medicine, Rhodes’ keys an immediate dark sinister lure into the waiting arms of contagious punk ferocity. Rhythms show no respect as they infest song and listener alike, guitars equally ravening in their insurgence before the psychotically edged tones of Domestic spring intimidating temptation. As if that ravening mix was not irresistible enough, passions were completely bound with the emerging addition of O’Toole’s idiosyncratic sax enticement, though a thrilling element with a definite X Ray Spex meets Essential Logic psychosis to it. All together it is a devouring incursion which beguiled with its web of enterprise and ravaged with its tidal trespass of animated devilry.

The track Pi$$ER follows with a just as active fervent menace, rhythms thumping on submission immediately as Domestic’s vocals vent with his individual prowess before another scourge of contagious animosity erupts. Hooks and riffs collude in their deviously respective piercing and hostile catchiness, that infernal and glorious raving sax of O’Toole icing on the delicious toxicity escaping a swiftly established favourite release.

I Won’t Repent is next up and needs mere breaths to eagerly intimidate and wholly seduce. Its galloping stroll infests as it manipulates, its swinging groove and predatory instincts proving swiftly irresistible and the perfect incitement for vocals as riffs ravage thoughts and senses. It is two visceral minutes plus of insatiable attitude, virulent harassment, and merciless temptation; i.e. brilliance.

The EP’s title track concludes the pleasure, Wretched Life a harmful and invigorating scourge of punk corrosiveness, dissonance, and crazed contagion. Every element in its rabid character makes for a furious tempting, each moment in that appealing rabid incursion eclectically ravenous and unitedly unquenchable.

The only thing about Wretched Life which worries is that there might be the chance it is a one off affair. We truly hope not because there is already uncontrollable greed in our hunger for Pi$$er and their unique magnificent sound.

Wretched Life is out now through Kibou Records and TNS Records in the UK and Sick World Records in New Zealand; available @ https://www.tnsrecords.co.uk/shop/tns-releases/pre-order/pier-wretched-life-7/ and https://kibourecords.bandcamp.com/album/pi-er-wretched-life-7-e-p with Ltd edition black vinyl version of 300.

Pete RingMaster 02/08/2019

There are some sounds and records which may be firmly bred in a certain style or flavour but organically transcend boundaries to appeal to a diverse multitude of appetites. UK punks The Filaments and new album Look to the Skies epitomise that quality, its overwhelming energy, captivation, and simply rousing escapades posing as songs instinctive pleasure for almost anyone with a passion for creative fun.

With their debut album released in 2001, The Filaments has become one of punk’s finest and richly established propositions if not quite sparking the tide of success and awareness their songs and releases have deserved. Even the disbanding of the Chelmsford septet in 2005 has not diluted their creative prowess; in fact since reforming in 2009 the band has just tapped into a richer vein of writing and sound for our ears, with Look to the Skies their finest offering yet.

Bred from a punk heart as classic as it is bold, The Filaments’ sound just as keenly and instinctively embraces the rich hues of ska, 2-tone, Oi and more. Straight away Look To The Skies relishes this creative appetite and zeal, opener Fuck The Alt”-Right driving through ears with raw energy and attitude fuelled by its street punk breath. There is a great Stiff Little Fingers lilt to the short but explosive start to the album, its aural discontent mutually uncompromising and contagious.

Look To The Skies follows up its great start with its title track, another swiftly virulent encounter with a ska nurtured swing to its punk roar reminding of another of the UK’s finest in The Vox Dolomites. Hammond spiced keys add to its tide of lures, the duo of guitars and vocals a raucous incitement alongside and even more manipulative in next up Rip-Off World. More ska punk than ska spiced punk rock, the song had bodies bouncing and vocal chords blazing within seconds, only encouraging greater participation as it upped its magnetic enterprise and infection.

With barely a breath allowed from the listener between songs, album and band incite even greater involvement with the catchy punk ‘n’ roll holler of No Men To Parade. Something akin to Flogging Molly meets Spunk Volcano and The Eruptions to try and tag its individuality, the song is viral infection with a just as magnetic snarl and lyrical snagging.

As manipulative as their energy and catchy prowess is so is the diversity to the band’s sound which is emphasized by the emotive serenade and drama of the following Living In The Crosshairs. Like Rancid crooning with The Members, the song just got under the skin, brass and keys warm caresses to its rhythmic enticement before Underdogs sets the album’s bounce at its loftiest. The track is superb, an invasion of invention and flavoursome fun which has every limb and deed locked in its sights and persuasion in quick time. It also echoes another great trait to the band’s sound, its seemingly familiar sounding uniqueness and relentless freshness; here a seductive Ruts DC scented dub twist adding to the lure.

Tread Carefully is just as insatiable in its hunger to get the listener leaping whilst snarling at the world; sounds, vocals, and words in rapacious league to infest and incite which it does with undiluted success for two breath taking minutes while its successor Ask No Favors shares four minutes plus of melodic flirtation lined with Madness-esque poppiness as drama builds syllable by syllable, note by note in tandem with pleasure.

The dirtier roar of All We’ve Ever Known leaves body exhausted and lungs empty next, another track hard to evade raucously joining in with, but somehow the album draws another burst of energy in both as within a breath of its predecessor, The Verge uncages its irresistible deeds and coaxing.

Killing Machine brings things to a mighty close, the track a punk driven rebellion with psychobilly devilry and ferocious virulence.

We could go on about the triumphs of Look to the Skies for numerous more paragraphs but the bottom-line is it is an album which attacks, consumes, and excites from start to finish with as mentioned barely a breath from release or listener being taken. It is not an album for punks; it is a release for anyone who loves rousing rock ‘n’ roll.

Look to the Skies is available now via Pirates Press Records and @ https://thefilaments.bandcamp.com/album/look-to-the-skies

https://www.facebook.com/thefilaments

Pete RingMaster 03/07/2018